Nuke

1. What does nuke mean?

An ability that deals a lot of damage

Nuke is a League of Legends (LoL) gaming term that refers to an ability that inflicts a large amount of damage in a short amount of time. An example of a nuke is the requiem or javelin toss ability.

A nuke is similar to a burst in that it deals a lot of damage. However, a burst is a combo of multiple abilities instead of just one. Also, a nuke can deal AOE damage or damage to a single target.

Example

He was dealing out nukes but died comically fast

Related Slang

Categories

Updated January 5, 2017
2. What is nuke short for?

A nuclear missile

Nuke is an abbreviation for a nuclear weapon, especially a nuclear missile, that people use in informal conversation, media, and headlines. The term comes from "nuclear" and became widely used during the Cold War era, when discussions about nuclear arsenals and global tensions were more common in everyday language.

Today, people may use "nuke" when talking about military strategy, international relations, historical events, or a powerful weapon or ability in a video game. You may also see it appear figuratively to describe something being completely destroyed or wiped out.

Example

I just nuked his base and killed all his workers!
dope!
A nuke at a launching site
A nuke at a launching site

Related Slang

Categories

Updated March 17, 2026

nuke definition by Slang.net - The Slang Dictionary

This page explains what the abbreviation "nuke" means. The various definitions, examples, and related terms listed above have been manually compiled and written by the Slang.net team.

We are continually updating our database with new slang terms, acronyms, and abbreviations. Want to suggest a new term or an update to this page? Let us know!