reactor

noun

re·​ac·​tor rē-ˈak-tər 

1

: one that reacts

2

: a device (such as a coil, winding, or conductor of small resistance) used to introduce reactance into an alternating-current circuit

3

a

: a vat for an industrial chemical reaction

b

: a device for the controlled release of nuclear energy (as for producing heat)

Examples of reactor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

View 2 Images Energy company Helion is inching closer to its goal of firing up the world's first fusion reactor to produce usable electricity. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025

This is enough electricity for roughly 1,000 to 20,000 homes whereas traditional full-scale reactors are 300-plus megawatts per plant. —Samuel Gibson, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

There are no operational small modular reactors in the U.S. Holtec is one of many companies that hope to receive approval from federal regulators to build such reactors. —Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025

The favorite to supplant Mr. Scholz, Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democrats, has promised to slash regulation — including scaling back some climate goals — reduce taxes and build new advanced nuclear fusion reactors in a bid to push energy costs down. —Melissa Eddy, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing reactor

• atomic reactor
• hyper-reactor
• nuclear reactor

Rhymes for reactor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor
• redactor
• refractor
• retractor

Kids Definition

reactor

noun

re·​ac·​tor rē-ˈak-tər 

1

: one that reacts

2

: a device for the controlled release of nuclear energy (as for producing heat)

Medical Definition

reactor

noun

re·​ac·​tor rē-ˈak-tər 

1

: one that reacts: as

a

: a chemical reagent

b

: an individual reacting to a stimulus

c

: an individual reacting positively to a foreign substance (as in a test for disease)

reactors to tuberculin

2

a

: a piece of equipment in which a chemical reaction and especially an industrial chemical reaction is carried out

b

: a device for the controlled release of nuclear energy (as for producing heat)