nuclear option
nounDefinition of nuclear option
1
: the option of using nuclear weapons in war
… it is now unimaginable that we would use anything approaching the full measure of our military power (the nuclear option aside) in the wars we fight.— Shelby Steele
2
: an extreme option regarded as a drastic step or last resort
The EU has most leverage over countries that are desperate to join. Once in the club, with full voting rights, countries can answer back, leaving their peers with only the nuclear option of trying to expel them. — The Economist
specifically, US politics
: a parliamentary procedure in the U.S. Senate by which the requirement of the affirmative votes of a supermajority of senators is changed to require only a simple majority to invoke cloture in order to stop a filibuster and allow a vote on a matter (such as a judicial nomination) to proceed
Since Republicans can't muster the 60 votes necessary to overcome this particular filibuster, they now want to use their authority over Senate procedures to abolish the maneuver itself, at least for judicial nominees. Exercising this "nuclear option," as it is known, would theoretically require the support of just a simple majority of senators, which Republican leaders say they are on the verge of solidifying. — Jonathan Cohn
Examples of nuclear option in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Call my bluff With Macau’s economy so dependent upon casinos, letting the licenses lapse for the sake of the trade war seems like a nuclear option—even in a conflict that’s increasingly self-defeating. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, "How China’s Casino Enclave of Macau Could Become a Bargaining Chip in the U.S. Trade War," 31 Aug. 2019 This, though, would be a nuclear option: one that America is likely to take only in extremis. — The Economist, "Hong Kong remains crucially important to mainland China," 8 Aug. 2019 So at his graduation party, when Angel begins throwing some innocent shade, Damon opts for the nuclear option. — Stephen Daw, Billboard, "Burned Bridges: 5 Key Takeaways From Episode 8 of 'Pose' Season 2," 7 Aug. 2019 Once again, the parties flipped sides on whether the nuclear option was justified. — CBS News, "Nuclear option: Why Trump's Supreme Court pick needs only 51 votes," 9 July 2018 The report is a reminder, however, that Trump has a number of options to ice the Mueller probe that do not include the nuclear option of trying to fire the special counsel. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, "Trump's three-front legal war turns on sex, money and Russia," 29 Mar. 2018 The nuclear option might be a vote of no confidence in the prime minister. — The Economist, "Tory candidates are misleading people about a no-deal Brexit," 13 June 2019 So, in essence, Demps violated negotiation etiquette and Paul responded with the nuclear option. — SI.com, "The King Maker: Why Rich Paul Will Own the NBA Summer," 12 June 2019 The nuclear option When President Trump announces his replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Friday night, his nominee will only need 51 votes in the U.S. Senate to be confirmed. — CBS News, "Judge Brett Kavanaugh named Trump's second Supreme Court justice - live updates," 9 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nuclear option.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more