megaton
noun
mega·ton
ˈme-gə-ˌtən 
: an explosive force equivalent to that of one million tons of TNT
Examples of megaton in a Sentence
an atomic explosion with a force of several megatons
Recent Examples on the Web
Colorado State University researchers write that the greenhouse gas emissions of Colorado’s marijuana industry (2.6 megatons of carbon dioxide) exceed those of the state’s coal mining industry (1.8 megatons of carbon dioxide).
—
John Michael Pierobon, Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2024
The Past Tunguska event: the rarest and most destructive kind of natural disaster
On the morning of June 30, 1908, an explosion of more than 10 megatons occurred above the sparsely populated Siberian Taiga.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Assuming that the event sent radiation off in all directions rather than directing it toward Earth, the researchers estimate that the total energy released was 1045 ergs, which translates to roughly 1022 megatons of TNT.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 24 Apr. 2024
On July 9, 1962, the US detonated a 1.45 megaton hydrogen bomb – more than 100 times as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb – 250 miles above Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, in order to study the effects of a nuclear blast on the high atmosphere.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 12 Apr. 2022
See all Example Sentences for megaton 
John Michael Pierobon, Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2024
The Past Tunguska event: the rarest and most destructive kind of natural disaster
On the morning of June 30, 1908, an explosion of more than 10 megatons occurred above the sparsely populated Siberian Taiga.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
Assuming that the event sent radiation off in all directions rather than directing it toward Earth, the researchers estimate that the total energy released was 1045 ergs, which translates to roughly 1022 megatons of TNT.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 24 Apr. 2024
On July 9, 1962, the US detonated a 1.45 megaton hydrogen bomb – more than 100 times as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb – 250 miles above Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, in order to study the effects of a nuclear blast on the high atmosphere.
—Joshua Keating, Vox, 12 Apr. 2022
See all Example Sentences for megaton
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'megaton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near megaton
Cite this Entry
“Megaton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megaton. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
megaton
noun
mega·ton
ˈmeg-ə-ˌtən
: an explosive force equal to that of one million tons of TNT
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