Samson Option

proper noun

A last-resort strategy employed by the State of Israel involving massive nuclear retaliation within and outside of the State of Israel.

Meanings

Samson Option1

proper nounthe Samson Option (usually uncountable, plural Samson Options)

plural Samson Options · alternative Samson option

  1. uncountableusuallyA last-resort strategy employed by the State of Israel involving massive nuclear retaliation within and outside of the State of Israel.

    The Samson Option states that Moshe Dayan gave the go-ahead for starting weapon production in early 1968, putting the plutonium separation plant into full operation.

    2009 June 7, Filipe, CNN, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2023
  2. broadlyfigurativelyuncountableusuallyAny massively destructive strategy used as a last resort, especially one that is also self-destructive.

    Whatever the eventual shape of the new world order, it should leave no room for "Samson options."

    1992, Paul C. Warnke, “Reviews: Nuclear Israel”, in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, volume 48, number 2, page 42
    2 more examples

    This is the essence of the beast and the lever of control. You don’t need hidden nukes or Samson options. This is what is happening and this is why the bank bailouts are taking place to ensure a greater consolidation and control of the destiny of planet Earth.

    2009 March 27, Mr.Smartypants, “Usuary (sic) of the Zionists”, in can.politics (Usenet)

    Trump’s fiercest advocates have launched their Samson option: If he can’t keep power, they’ll bring down the party with him by calling for a boycott of the election.

    2020 December 29, Frida Ghitis, “Trump has set Republicans up to fail in Georgia”, in CNN, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2022

Samson option2

proper nounSamson option (usually uncountable, plural Samson options)

plural Samson options

  1. uncountableusuallyAlternative letter-case form of Samson Option

Origin

In reference to Samson in the Bible, who destroyed the Philistine temple in which he was captured in a suicide attack.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 參孫選項 /参孙选项
  • 參孫選項 /参孙选项last-resort strategy
Hebrew ברירת שמשון
  • ברירת שמשון (b'rerat shimshon)last-resort strategy
Russian вариант Самсона, доктрина Самсона
  • вариант Самсонаlast-resort strategy
  • доктрина Самсона (doktrina Samsona)last-resort strategy
  • опция Самсона (opcija Samsona)last-resort strategy
Cite this entry
APA

Samson Option. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Samson%20Option

MLA

“Samson Option.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Samson%20Option. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Samson Option,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Samson%20Option.

Source: Samson Option on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.