chain reaction

noun

1
a
: a series of events so related to each other that each one initiates the next
b
: a number of events triggered by the same initial event
2
: a self-sustaining chemical or nuclear reaction yielding energy or products that cause further reactions of the same kind
chain-react intransitive verb

Examples of chain reaction in a Sentence

Increased oil prices could trigger a chain reaction in the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web There's just one problem: The copies also made copies, which sets off a chain reaction of guessing who is real or counterfeit. Huntley Woods and Christian Holub, EW.com, 17 Oct. 2023 As many as 43 vehicles were involved in a chain reaction of crashes Saturday morning on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that injured 13 people and snarled traffic for five hours. Mary McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024 The drama, about a tragedy that strikes a Syrian family in Aleppo, triggering a chain reaction of events that impact five different families across four countries, will screen in the Berlinale Special sidebar at this year’s festival, which runs Feb. 15-25. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Jan. 2024 This triggers a chain reaction of events involving five different families in four different countries. Patrick Frater, Variety, 25 Jan. 2024 But then Alabama coach Nick Saban announced his retirement on the first day of spring-semester classes, kicking off a chain reaction of hirings and transfer decisions. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024 War brings about a chain reaction of destruction to families, homes, and our natural environment. Journal Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2024 The chain reaction continued at NSU, which hired Miami Dade College’s Adrian Morales to replace Gutierrez. Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2024 The resulting chain reaction ignited the cultural boom known as Barbenheimer, with moviegoers taking in both movies on the same day in a coast-to-coast, black-and-white meets pink double feature. Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chain reaction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of chain reaction was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near chain reaction

Cite this Entry

“Chain reaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chain%20reaction. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chain reaction

noun
1
: a series of events so related to each other that each one sets the next one going
2
: a chemical or nuclear reaction producing energy or products that cause further reactions of the same kind

Medical Definition

chain reaction

noun
: a self-sustaining chemical or nuclear reaction yielding energy or products that cause further reactions of the same kind

More from Merriam-Webster on chain reaction

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