atomic

adjective

atom·​ic ə-ˈtä-mik How to pronounce atomic (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or concerned with atoms
atomic physics
b
: nuclear sense 2
atomic energy
2
a
: marked by acceptance of the theory of atomism
3
: minute
4
of a chemical element : existing in the state of separate atoms
atomically adverb

Examples of atomic in a Sentence

made atomic adjustments to the clock's mechanism to keep it from whirring as it ran
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After the Holocaust and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Jewish and Japanese writers documented some survivors’ apprehensions about giving birth. Jack Jiang, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2025 Uranium miners laid siege to the landscape during the early atomic age, and in the decades since, many dwellings and graves have been looted. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025 In November, Putin signed a decree which changed Russia's nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for atomic weapons use. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025 At an atomic scale, doping substitutes atoms of a host metal with foreign atoms. Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for atomic 

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of atomic was in 1678

Cite this Entry

“Atomic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atomic. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

atomic

adjective
atom·​ic ə-ˈtäm-ik How to pronounce atomic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or concerned with atoms, atomic bombs, or nuclear energy
atomic physics
the atomic age
atomic energy
2
: extremely small
3
: found in the state of separate atoms
atomic hydrogen

More from Merriam-Webster on atomic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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