Meltdown

Definitions

1. Severe overheating of the core of a nuclear reactor resulting in the core melting and potentially in radiation escaping.
   countable, uncountable
2. A situation being likened to a nuclear meltdown; a crisis.
   countable, uncountable
3. A tantrum or emotional outburst.
   countable, informal, uncountable
4. An autistic response to stress or sensory overload, in which the person is overwhelmed by intense, seemingly disproportionate emotions, behaving erratically and becoming unable to mask.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

17 more languages

العربيةالإنهياراِنْصِهَار نَوَوِيّ

Bosanskidilema

Ελληνικάτήξη

Suomiromahdussulaminen

Hrvatskidilema

Italianofusione del nocciolo

日本語メルトダウン溶融炉心熔融融解+ 1 more

한국어노심 용해

Kurdîdîlema

Nederlandskernsmelting

Portuguêscatástrofederretimento nuclear

Românăcrizătopire

Русскийвстряскамелтда́унразруше́ние и́з-за расплавле́ниярасплавле́ние+ 1 more

Српскиdilema

Svenskahärdsmälta

Türkçeerime

Українськарозпла́влення

Examples

“Four years have⟳ passed since the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear plant⟳, but the grim legacy of the Soviet catastrophe is still unfolding.”

“Channel 4 switchboards went into meltdown this week when viewers called to complain⟳ about a Brass Eye programme on child sex.”

“Computer engineers were at a loss last⟳ night to explain⟳ why the Government had been hit by arguably the worst electronic meltdown in the history of Whitehall.”

“Not only that, but wishcycling is playing a big role in the current global recycling meltdown.”

“I had a major meltdown at work⟳ today. After being instructed one more time about additional work⟳ that I was to delegate to my direct⟳ reports, I snapped, but in a very polite manner.”

“After the huntsman raced across my windscreen, I had an arachnophobic meltdown on the side of the road.”

“Now if I am really anxious, I can take⟳ a moment to think⟳ about what is making me anxious and what to do about it; before I would just spiral into a meltdown really quickly, with no understanding of why.”

“However, if the accumulation of stress⟳ chemicals, stimulation and/or demands are occurring too fast or are too intense to block⟳ out, then a meltdown is probable.”

“If you're experiencing challenges that are extremely stressful and may lead⟳ you to being overwhelmed, or set⟳ off a meltdown in the workplace, this may be very concerning to your work⟳ colleagues.”

CEFR level