go nuclear
Completely lose it
Go nuclear means to react with extreme, disproportionate force—escalating a conflict far beyond what the situation warrants.
The phrase borrows from nuclear warfare's logic of overwhelming retaliation: When she found out he'd lied, she went nuclear.
It can also mean to adopt nuclear power or weapons: The country decided to go nuclear in the 1970s.
- nukeAtomic weapon, casually
- push the buttonActivate by pressing
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
- go to warStart military action
- overreactRespond disproportionately to something
rage · atomize · atomic bomb · blast · lose control · blow a fuse · blow your top · fly off the handle · fireball · scorch · hit the roof · lose your cool · see red · hair trigger · chain reaction · escalate · meltdown · explode
go nuclearstay calm
Remain unruffled
keep cool · keep one's cool · shrug it off · brush it off · bite one's tongue
go nuclearde-escalate
Reduce intensity of conflict
back down · stand down · dial it back · wave the white flag · make peace
go nuclearhold back
Prevent forward movement
pull punches · tread lightly · hold fire · bide one's time · pick one's battles
goes, going, gone, goer, nuclear, nucleus, nuclei, nucleic, nucleotide