Definitions

nuclear reactor

[noo-klee-er ree-ak-ter, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər riˈæk tər, ˈnyu- /

NOUN

atomic reactor

Synonyms

STRONGEST

reactor

WEAK

atomic furnace atomic pile atomic power plant atomic reactor breeder reactor chain reactor core reactor fast breeder reactor neutron factory nuclear furnace nuclear power plant pile plutonium reactor reactor pile thermonuclear reactor uranium reactor

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.

She sat alongside a nuclear reactor during a flight with Energy Secretary Chris Wright; she still isn’t quite sure she understands what a nuclear reactor is.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Not everyone is fully on board, however — including Isaacman, whose ambitious plans involve developing a lunar nuclear reactor by 2030.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Holtec also has a design for its own small nuclear reactor, and is attempting to get approval to place two of the small reactors at the Palisades site.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

New data-center designs require more than one gigawatt of power, equivalent to the capacity of a nuclear reactor.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

The heart of a nuclear reactor seethes with deadly radioactivity.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland