Meaning & use
nuclear energy
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
Energy produced by splitting or joining the central parts of atoms, used to make electricity or in weapons.
Grammar: Uncountable, so no plural and no 'a' before it: nuclear energy is clean, not a nuclear energy.
Patterns
- produce nuclear energy
- use nuclear energy
- from nuclear energy
Nuclear energy provides a significant share of the country's electricity.
Some people support nuclear energy because it does not release greenhouse gases.
The debate over nuclear energy often focuses on safety and waste disposal.
Common combinations
- nuclear energy production
- Nuclear energy production has increased in recent years.
- source of nuclear energy
- Uranium is a common source of nuclear energy.
- nuclear energy plant
- The nuclear energy plant supplies power to thousands of homes.
- nuclear energy policy
- The government revised its nuclear energy policy after the accident.
Synonyms and how they differ
- atomic energy
- A less common term with the same meaning, often used in older texts.
Word family
- nuclear adjective
- Relating to the nucleus of an atom or to nuclear energy.
Commonly confused: nuclear energy or nuclear power?
nuclear energy vs nuclear power
Often used interchangeably, but nuclear power can also refer to the political or military power of nuclear-armed states.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'nuclear energy' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Nuclear energy is an uncountable noun meaning power from atoms, so it fits 'invested in nuclear energy'. The other options treat it as a countable thing or a personal quality, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nuclear energy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.