microplastic
noun
mi·cro·plas·tic
ˌmī-krō-ˈpla-stik 
plural microplastics
1
: a very small piece of plastic especially when occurring as an environmental pollutant
—usually used in plural
… the microplastics that have made their way into the food chain and even the air we breathe.—
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times… the Mariana Trench contains the highest levels of microplastics (most likely from clothing, bottles, packaging and fishing gear) yet found in the open ocean, offering irrefutable proof that plastics have penetrated even the most remote places on the planet.—Rina Li
Rina Li
specifically
: a piece of plastic that is five millimeters or smaller in size
Indeed, a handful of sand or cup of seawater from nearly anywhere in the world will probably be peppered with microplastics—pieces that are tinier than a small pea and often invisible. —Jennifer Ackerman
Jennifer Ackerman 2
: material consisting of microplastics
Most of that microplastic is coming not from broken down plastic soda bottles or shopping bags but textiles and clothing made of synthetic materials like polyester.—Dharna Noor
compare nanoplastic
Dharna Noor
microplastic
adjective
microplastic pollution
microplastic debris
Examples of microplastic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Context Last month, new research came out detecting a rise in microplastics in people's brains at far higher concentrations than in other bodily organs.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Most microplastics are made on land, where larger plastic debris degrades into tinier and tinier pieces.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
Most scientific studies focus on microplastics in water.
—Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
Dryer Lint: Although soft and fluffy, dryer lint is full of synthetic fibers, detergents, and microplastics from clothing.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for microplastic
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Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Most microplastics are made on land, where larger plastic debris degrades into tinier and tinier pieces.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
Most scientific studies focus on microplastics in water.
—Ambuj Tewari, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
Dryer Lint: Although soft and fluffy, dryer lint is full of synthetic fibers, detergents, and microplastics from clothing.
—Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for microplastic
Cite this Entry
“Microplastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microplastic. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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