first strike

NOUN

tactic in warfare

Synonyms

WEAK

descent on descent upon preemptive nuclear attack preventive strike preventive war surgical strike

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Buck Turgidson, one of the film’s most memorable characters, while agitating the president in the war room for a first strike against the Soviet Union.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026

“We didn’t come out hot, and we let them get the first strike in and we were battling for the rest of that game,” Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2025

It was another outstanding effort from the captain after opting to take first strike.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

Nine of those have landed since the first strike in early September.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

The belief was that a nation could deter a "first strike," in the parlance of nuclear strategists, by making sure that the enemy understood that their strike would never succeed.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau