shrapnel
noun
shrap·nel
ˈshrap-nᵊl 
especially Southern ˈsrap-
plural shrapnel
1
: a projectile that consists of a case provided with a powder charge and a large number of usually lead balls and that is exploded in flight
2
: bomb, mine, or shell fragments
Examples of shrapnel in a Sentence
He has a piece of shrapnel in his leg.
Shrapnel from the explosion wounded many people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Later reports claimed that the plane had been hit by Russian shrapnel targeting Ukrainian drones, but the aircraft had already been struggling before the hit, having flown into a cloud of thick fog while losing satellite positioning data.
—
Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2025
While there’s still inventive shrapnel worth excavating from the demolition zone, so much of modern phonk feels optimized to be indistinguishable so gymgoers and gamers can hit play and cede control, racking up streams endlessly.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Mar. 2025
During the attack, Alon hid in a bomb shelter outside the Nova music festival and was injured when shrapnel hit his right eye.
—Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025
But the blast also sent shrapnel tearing into the al-Qudra family.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrapnel
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Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 7 Apr. 2025
While there’s still inventive shrapnel worth excavating from the demolition zone, so much of modern phonk feels optimized to be indistinguishable so gymgoers and gamers can hit play and cede control, racking up streams endlessly.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Mar. 2025
During the attack, Alon hid in a bomb shelter outside the Nova music festival and was injured when shrapnel hit his right eye.
—Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2025
But the blast also sent shrapnel tearing into the al-Qudra family.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shrapnel
Cite this Entry
“Shrapnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrapnel. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shrapnel
noun
shrap·nel
ˈshrap-nᵊl
plural shrapnel
1
: a shell designed to burst and scatter metal balls with which it is filled along with jagged fragments of the case
2
: metal pieces from an exploded bomb, shell, or mine
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