Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mutual assured destruction

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.74 in modern English

Syllables
mu-tu-al as-sured de-struc-tion
IPA
30
Scrabble Score
24
Letters
6
Syllables
13
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The threat of massive retaliation using nuclear weapons should a potential enemy use them first, both sides being annihilated in the event of war.

Uncountable

Etymology

A pun on "assured destruction" ("a highly reliable ability to inflict unacceptable damage ... even after absorbing a surprise first strike"), a term used in discussions of American nuclear strategy in the 1960s. Perhaps coined by Donald Brennan, conservative defense analyst and a public critic of the policy.

Usage

Inflected Forms

mutually assured destruction (alternative)

Phrases

assured destruction eye for an eye Kilkenny cat

Frequently Paired Words

eye for an eye internecine Kilkenny cat

Synonyms

MAD

Questions

What does mutual assured destruction mean?
The threat of massive retaliation using nuclear weapons should a potential enemy use them first, both sides being annihilated in the event of war.
Where does mutual assured destruction come from?
A pun on "assured destruction" ("a highly reliable ability to inflict unacceptable damage ... even after absorbing a surprise first strike"), a term used in discussions of American nuclear strategy in the 1960s. Perhaps coined by Donald Brennan, conservative defense analyst and a public critic of the policy.

How to pronounce mutual assured destruction

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