nuke and pave
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To wipe a computer's hard disk and reinstall everything, as a drastic fix for problems.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
I'm so sorry, I was hoping that we could see each other . . . there is a solution to this, when you are here, before you go back, I can take my computer in and get it nuked and paved.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “nuke and pave” mean?
To wipe a computer's hard disk and reinstall everything, as a drastic fix for problems.
Is “nuke and pave” formal or informal?
nuke and pave is generally slang.