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Meltdown: meaning, definitions and examples

๐Ÿ”ฅ
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meltdown

 

[ หˆmษ›ltหŒdaสŠn ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

nuclear power plants

A meltdown refers to a severe nuclear reactor accident that results in core damage from overheating. It can lead to the release of radioactive materials into the environment, posing serious health and environmental risks.

Synonyms

core meltdown, nuclear meltdown, reactor meltdown

Examples of usage

  • The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was a result of a meltdown at the nuclear power plant.
  • The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 triggered concerns about the possibility of a meltdown.
Context #2 | Noun

emotional breakdown

In a non-nuclear context, a meltdown can refer to an emotional breakdown or loss of control due to extreme stress or frustration. It is often associated with children or individuals struggling to cope with overwhelming emotions.

Synonyms

emotional breakdown, outburst, tantrum

Examples of usage

  • After a long day at work, Sarah had a meltdown and burst into tears.
  • The toddler had a meltdown in the supermarket when his mother refused to buy him a toy.

Translations

Translations of the word "meltdown" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น colapso

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคชเคฟเค˜เคฒเคจเคพ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Zusammenbruch

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ keruntuhan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะบั€ะฐั…

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ zaล‚amanie

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๅดฉๅฃŠ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท effondrement

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ colapso

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท รงรถkรผลŸ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋ถ•๊ดด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุงู†ู‡ูŠุงุฑ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ kolaps

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ kolaps

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅดฉๆบƒ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ propad

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hnignun

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›าฑะปะดั‹ั€ะฐัƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ“แƒแƒ แƒฆแƒ•แƒ”แƒ•แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ รงรถkรผลŸ

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ colapso

Etymology

The term 'meltdown' originated in the 1950s and initially referred to the melting of the core of a nuclear reactor. Over time, it also came to be used in a metaphorical sense to describe a catastrophic failure or collapse, such as an emotional breakdown. The word has gained widespread usage in both technical and everyday contexts.

See also: melt, meltable, melted, melting, melts, molten, unmeltable.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,338, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.