diff --git a/docs/typecheck.md b/docs/typecheck.md
index 830b084df..1c00419e2 100644
--- a/docs/typecheck.md
+++ b/docs/typecheck.md
@@ -52,6 +52,16 @@ A solution-style `tsconfig.json` (one that only lists `references`) is type-chec
 
 In build mode, type information from each run is stored in the `tsBuildInfoFile` of every project referenced by `tsconfig.json`, so later runs only re-check what changed. From Nuxt v4.7, Nuxt's generated project configs store it in `.nuxt/cache/typecheck`, which is kept by `nuxt prepare` and `nuxt dev`. The cache is discarded when the type checker or TypeScript version changes, and is not used if any referenced project has no `tsBuildInfoFile`. Pass `--no-incremental` to remove the cached type information and type-check from scratch.
 
+## Memory
+
+The type checker runs in its own process. Unless you set `--max-old-space-size`, the heap limit of `vue-tsc` is raised to half of the memory of your machine (or of the container it runs in), up to 8 GB and at most the memory currently available. It is never set lower than Node's default. Golar type-checks outside of the JavaScript heap, so its limit is left alone.
+
+If the type checker is killed, for example because it ran out of memory, `nuxt typecheck` reports the signal and exits with `128` plus the signal number (`134` for `SIGABRT`, `137` for `SIGKILL`). To raise the heap limit yourself:
+
+```bash [Terminal]
+NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=8192 npx nuxt typecheck
+```
+
 ::note
 This command sets `process.env.NODE_ENV` to `production`. To override, define `NODE_ENV` in a [`.env`](/docs/directory-structure/env) file or as a command-line argument.
 ::
diff --git a/packages/nuxt-cli/src/commands/typecheck.ts b/packages/nuxt-cli/src/commands/typecheck.ts
index 142a08240..6ad670244 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt-cli/src/commands/typecheck.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt-cli/src/commands/typecheck.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ import type { DetectResult } from 'package-manager-detector'
 import type { TSConfig } from 'pkg-types'
 import { existsSync, readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
+import os from 'node:os'
 import process from 'node:process'
 
 import { styleText } from 'node:util'
+import v8 from 'node:v8'
 import { cancel, confirm, isCancel, select } from '@clack/prompts'
 import { defineCommand } from 'citty'
 import { resolveModulePath } from 'exsolve'
@@ -192,11 +194,22 @@ export default defineCommand({
       }
     }
 
+    // Golar type-checks in Go, outside of the V8 heap.
+    const heap = typechecker.checker === 'vue-tsc' ? resolveCheckerHeap() : undefined
     const start = Date.now()
-    const result = await x(typechecker.bin, args, {
-      nodeOptions: { stdio: 'inherit', cwd },
+    const proc = x(typechecker.bin, args, {
+      nodeOptions: { stdio: 'inherit', cwd, ...(heap?.nodeOptions && { env: { NODE_OPTIONS: heap.nodeOptions } }) },
     })
+    const result = await proc
     const duration = formatDuration(Date.now() - start)
+    // On Windows, Node exits with code 134 instead of raising `SIGABRT`.
+    const signal = proc.signalCode ?? (process.platform === 'win32' && result.exitCode === 134 ? 'SIGABRT' : null)
+
+    if (signal) {
+      const exitCode = reportKilledChecker(signal, duration, heap?.limit)
+      process.exitCode = result.exitCode ?? exitCode
+      return
+    }
 
     if (result.exitCode === 0) {
       if (hasTTY) {
@@ -213,6 +226,51 @@ export default defineCommand({
 })
 
 const NUXT_PROJECT_REFERENCE_RE = /(?:^|[/\\])tsconfig\.(?:app|server|shared|node)\.json$/
+const MAX_OLD_SPACE_SIZE_RE = /--max[-_]old[-_]space[-_]size[=\s]+(\d+)/
+const MAX_CHECKER_HEAP_MB = 8192
+const MB = 1024 * 1024
+
+/**
+ * Report a checker killed by a signal, even without a TTY, and return the exit code to use:
+ * `128 + signal number`, following the shell convention.
+ */
+function reportKilledChecker(signal: string, duration: string, heapLimit?: number): number {
+  // `SIGKILL` is sent by the kernel OOM killer, `SIGABRT` by V8 when it reaches its heap limit.
+  const outOfMemory = signal === 'SIGKILL' || signal === 'SIGABRT' ? ', which usually means it ran out of memory' : ''
+  const heapHint = signal === 'SIGABRT' && heapLimit ? ` Its heap was limited to ${styleText('cyan', `${heapLimit} MB`)}. Set ${styleText('bold', 'NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=<MB>')} to raise it.` : ''
+  logger.error(`Type-checking was killed by ${styleText('bold', signal)} after ${styleText('cyan', duration)}${outOfMemory}.${heapHint}`)
+
+  const signalNumber = os.constants.signals[signal as NodeJS.Signals] as number | undefined
+  return signalNumber ? 128 + signalNumber : 1
+}
+
+/**
+ * Heap limit of the checker in MB, with the `NODE_OPTIONS` that set it if they differ from the inherited ones.
+ *
+ * Unless set by the user, this is half of the memory of the machine or container, bounded by the memory
+ * currently available and by `MAX_CHECKER_HEAP_MB`, and never below V8's default.
+ */
+function resolveCheckerHeap(): { limit: number, nodeOptions?: string } {
+  const nodeOptions = process.env.NODE_OPTIONS
+  const inherited = nodeOptions?.match(MAX_OLD_SPACE_SIZE_RE)
+  if (inherited) {
+    return { limit: Number(inherited[1]) }
+  }
+
+  const withLimit = (limit: number) => ({ limit, nodeOptions: [nodeOptions, `--max-old-space-size=${limit}`].filter(Boolean).join(' ') })
+
+  const own = process.execArgv.join(' ').match(MAX_OLD_SPACE_SIZE_RE)
+  if (own) {
+    return withLimit(Number(own[1]))
+  }
+
+  const defaultLimit = Math.round(v8.getHeapStatistics().heap_size_limit / MB)
+  const total = os.totalmem()
+  const constrained = process.constrainedMemory()
+  const memory = constrained > 0 && constrained < total ? constrained : total
+  const limit = Math.floor(Math.min(memory / 2, process.availableMemory(), MAX_CHECKER_HEAP_MB * MB) / MB)
+  return limit > defaultLimit ? withLimit(limit) : { limit: defaultLimit }
+}
 
 /**
  * Whether a tsconfig is a solution-style config, as used by Nuxt's project references setup.
diff --git a/packages/nuxt-cli/test/unit/commands/typecheck.spec.ts b/packages/nuxt-cli/test/unit/commands/typecheck.spec.ts
index 43237934e..ca75c8eed 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt-cli/test/unit/commands/typecheck.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt-cli/test/unit/commands/typecheck.spec.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
 import { EventEmitter } from 'node:events'
 import { mkdir, mkdtemp, readFile, rm, stat, utimes, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
-import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import os, { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import process from 'node:process'
+import v8 from 'node:v8'
 
 import { join } from 'pathe'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
-const { runInstall, answers, resolveModulePath, spawn, tinyexec, writeTypes } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+const { runInstall, answers, resolveModulePath, spawn, tinyexec, writeTypes, tty } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   runInstall: vi.fn((_options: Record<string, unknown>) => Promise.resolve({ success: true, output: '', command: '', ignoredBuilds: [] as string[] })),
   answers: { select: [] as unknown[], confirm: [] as unknown[] },
   resolveModulePath: vi.fn(),
   spawn: vi.fn(),
   tinyexec: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ exitCode: 0, stdout: '', stderr: '' })),
   writeTypes: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve()),
+  tty: { value: true },
 }))
 
 vi.mock('tinyexec', () => ({ x: tinyexec }))
@@ -48,7 +50,9 @@ vi.mock('../../../src/utils/kit', () => ({
 
 vi.mock('std-env', async importOriginal => ({
   ...await importOriginal<typeof import('std-env')>(),
-  hasTTY: true,
+  get hasTTY() {
+    return tty.value
+  },
 }))
 
 vi.mock('@clack/prompts', async (importOriginal) => {
@@ -97,10 +101,16 @@ async function runTypecheck(argv: string[] = [], data?: { overrides?: Record<str
   return { output: `${renderer.frames.join('\n')}\n${screen(renderer)}`, exitCode }
 }
 
+/** A checker process killed by `signal` before it could exit. */
+function killed(signal: string) {
+  return Object.assign(Promise.resolve({ exitCode: undefined as unknown as number, stdout: '', stderr: '' }), { signalCode: signal })
+}
+
 beforeEach(async () => {
   cwd = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'nuxt-typecheck-'))
   answers.select.length = 0
   answers.confirm.length = 0
+  tty.value = true
   vi.clearAllMocks()
   tinyexec.mockResolvedValue({ exitCode: 0, stdout: '', stderr: '' })
   typegenExits(0)
@@ -239,6 +249,153 @@ describe('typecheck results', () => {
     expect(output).toContain('Type check failed')
     expect(exitCode).toBe(2)
   })
+
+  it('should report a checker killed by the OOM killer', async () => {
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGKILL'))
+
+    const { output, exitCode } = await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(output).toContain('Type-checking was killed by SIGKILL')
+    expect(output).toContain('out of memory')
+    expect(output).not.toContain('Type check failed')
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(137)
+  })
+
+  it('should treat SIGABRT as running out of memory', async () => {
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGABRT'))
+
+    const { output, exitCode } = await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(output).toContain('was killed by SIGABRT')
+    expect(output).toContain('out of memory')
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(128 + os.constants.signals.SIGABRT)
+  })
+
+  it('should report other signals without an out of memory hint', async () => {
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGTERM'))
+
+    const { output, exitCode } = await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(output).toContain('was killed by SIGTERM')
+    expect(output).not.toContain('out of memory')
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(143)
+  })
+
+  it('should report a killed checker without a TTY', async () => {
+    tty.value = false
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGKILL'))
+
+    const { output, exitCode } = await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(output).toContain('was killed by SIGKILL')
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(137)
+  })
+
+  it('should treat exit code 134 on Windows as SIGABRT', async () => {
+    const platform = process.platform
+    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: 'win32', configurable: true })
+    tinyexec.mockResolvedValueOnce({ exitCode: 134, stdout: '', stderr: '' })
+
+    try {
+      const { output, exitCode } = await runTypecheck()
+
+      expect(output).toContain('was killed by SIGABRT')
+      expect(output).toContain('out of memory')
+      expect(output).not.toContain('Type check failed')
+      expect(exitCode).toBe(134)
+    }
+    finally {
+      Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { value: platform, configurable: true })
+    }
+  })
+})
+
+describe('typecheck heap limit', () => {
+  const MB = 1024 ** 2
+  const GB = 1024 ** 3
+  const execArgv = process.execArgv
+
+  function memory({ total = 12 * GB, constrained = 2 ** 64, available = 10 * GB, heapLimit = 2240 * MB } = {}) {
+    vi.spyOn(os, 'totalmem').mockReturnValue(total)
+    vi.spyOn(process, 'constrainedMemory').mockReturnValue(constrained)
+    vi.spyOn(process, 'availableMemory').mockReturnValue(available)
+    vi.spyOn(v8, 'getHeapStatistics').mockReturnValue({ ...v8.getHeapStatistics(), heap_size_limit: heapLimit })
+  }
+
+  function checkerNodeOptions(): string | undefined {
+    const options = (tinyexec.mock.calls[0] as unknown[])[2] as { nodeOptions: { env?: Record<string, string> } }
+    return options.nodeOptions.env?.NODE_OPTIONS
+  }
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.stubEnv('NODE_OPTIONS', '')
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+    process.execArgv = execArgv
+  })
+
+  it.each([
+    ['half of the total memory', {}, 6144],
+    ['half of the memory limit of the process', { constrained: 6 * GB }, 3072],
+    ['the memory currently available', { available: 3 * GB }, 3072],
+    ['at most 8 GB', { total: 32 * GB, available: 30 * GB, heapLimit: 4144 * MB }, 8192],
+  ])('should raise the checker heap limit to %s', async (_, options, limit) => {
+    memory(options)
+
+    await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(checkerNodeOptions()).toBe(`--max-old-space-size=${limit}`)
+  })
+
+  it('should keep existing node options', async () => {
+    memory()
+    vi.stubEnv('NODE_OPTIONS', '--enable-source-maps')
+
+    await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(checkerNodeOptions()).toBe('--enable-source-maps --max-old-space-size=6144')
+  })
+
+  it('should pass on a heap limit set for the nuxt process', async () => {
+    memory()
+    process.execArgv = ['--max-old-space-size=3000']
+
+    await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(checkerNodeOptions()).toBe('--max-old-space-size=3000')
+  })
+
+  it.each([
+    ['the raised heap limit', {}, '', 6144, '--max-old-space-size=6144'],
+    ['the heap limit set in NODE_OPTIONS', {}, '--max-old-space-size=3000', 3000, undefined],
+    ['V8\'s default heap limit', { total: 4 * GB }, '', 2240, undefined],
+  ])('should name %s when the checker runs out of heap', async (_, options, nodeOptions, limit, passed) => {
+    memory(options)
+    vi.stubEnv('NODE_OPTIONS', nodeOptions)
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGABRT'))
+
+    const { output } = await runTypecheck()
+
+    expect(checkerNodeOptions()).toBe(passed)
+    expect(output).toContain(`Its heap was limited to ${limit} MB`)
+    expect(output).toContain('NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=<MB>')
+  })
+
+  it('should leave the heap limit of golar alone', async () => {
+    memory()
+    await mkdir(join(cwd, 'node_modules/golar'), { recursive: true })
+    await writeFile(join(cwd, 'node_modules/golar/package.json'), JSON.stringify({ name: 'golar', bin: './bin.js' }))
+    installed('golar/unstable', '@golar/vue')
+    tinyexec.mockReturnValueOnce(killed('SIGABRT'))
+
+    const { output } = await runTypecheck(['--checker=golar'])
+
+    expect(checkerNodeOptions()).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(output).toContain('out of memory')
+    expect(output).not.toContain('heap was limited')
+  })
 })
 
 describe('typecheck type generation', () => {