nuclearism

[ noo-klee-uh-riz-uhm, nyoo-or, by metathesis, -kyuh-luh- ]

noun

1. a political philosophy maintaining that nuclear weapons are the best means of assuring peace and of attaining political goals.

Pronunciation Note

See nuclear.

Other Words From

• nucle·ar·ist noun
• nucle·ar·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nuclearism¹

First recorded in 1965–70; nuclear + -ism

Example Sentences

“We think we know a lot in comparison to her, and then we look around at Beirut, at nuclearism, and 8 million infants who starved last year. Eight million.”

From Washington Post

He takes climate scientist and activist James Hansen to task for supporting nuclear power, calling such “climate nuclearism” a dangerous understating of the risks of atomic energy.

From Washington Post

Those who refused to join the hysteria were diagnosed as suffering from "nuclearism" or "psychic numbing."

From Time Magazine Archive