meltdown
Total emotional collapse
A meltdown is a catastrophic failure in a nuclear reactor where the core overheats and melts, potentially releasing radiation.
The word extends to any dramatic collapse or breakdown: a financial meltdown, an emotional meltdown.
When someone—especially a child—has a meltdown, they lose control in a fit of crying, screaming, or rage: She had a meltdown when they ran out of her favorite cereal.
Uncontrolled display of frustration
- outburstSudden emotional release
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
- tearsViolent pulls apart
sobbing · overwhelm · panic · frustration · rage · anguish · despair · distress
Sudden structural failure
- crashSudden violent impact
- failureLack of success
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
catastrophe · crisis · chaos · debacle · fiasco · turmoil · downfall · unraveling
Controlled fission apparatus
- ChernobylSoviet nuclear disaster site
- FukushimaJapanese nuclear accident site
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- coreCentral essential portion
containment · fission · criticality · uranium · plutonium · coolant · isotopes · contamination
Sudden violent impact
- malfunctionFailure to operate properly
- failureLack of success
- glitchMinor system fault
- bugCrawling creature or defect
error · overload · overheat · freeze · shutdown · blue screen · fatal error · system failure
tantrum
Uncontrolled display of frustration
- outburstSudden emotional release
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
tears · sobbing · overwhelm · panic · frustration · rage · anguish · despair · distress · agitation
collapse
Sudden structural failure
disintegration · catastrophe · crisis · chaos · debacle · fiasco · turmoil · downfall · unraveling · breakdown
reactor
Controlled fission apparatus
- ChernobylSoviet nuclear disaster site
- FukushimaJapanese nuclear accident site
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
core · containment · fission · criticality · uranium · plutonium · coolant · isotopes · contamination · half-life
crash
Sudden violent impact
- malfunctionFailure to operate properly
- failureLack of success
- glitchMinor system fault
bug · error · overload · overheat · freeze · shutdown · blue screen · fatal error · system failure · kernel panic
fondue
Shared melted dipping dish
caramel · ganache · brie · grilled cheese · lava cake · molten · gooey · oozing · dripping · silky
- emotional outburstsoutburst, tantrum, temper tantrum, angry outburst, hissy fit
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- high dramamelodrama, soap opera, theatrics, histrionics, overwrought
- losing itloses it, snaps, freaks out, flips out, goes crazy
- lost controllost control, lost it, snapped, went crazy, went nuts
- panicpanic attack, alarm, terror, fright, hysteria
meltdownstability
Resistance to displacement
containment · steady state · integrity · stabilization · cooling
meltdowncomposure
Emotional self-control
self-control · equanimity · calm · serenity · poise
meltdowntriumph
Resounding, celebrated victory
miracle · breakthrough · success · recovery · turnaround
- have a meltdownLose emotional control suddenly
- nuclear meltdownReactor core destruction