: rain that freezes or partly freezes as it falls from the sky
Concerned that ice pellets—also known as sleet—were a larger hazard than previously thought, the Federal Aviation Administration in late 2005 adopted strict limits on planes taking off in such icy conditions.—
Susan Carey and Andy Pasztor
Susan Carey and Andy PasztorThe wind blew bitterly cold, and the boughs of the old tree crackled under falling sleet.—Harriet Jacobs
compare freezing rain, hail entry 1, snow entry 1
Harriet JacobsExamples of sleet in a Sentence
Noun
The snow turned to sleet and made driving very dangerous.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
Memphis, Tennessee, could record 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet, and also some ice, while Nashville could record up to 3 inches of mainly snow.
—Hanna Park, Robert Shackelford and Mary Gilbert, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, snow and sleet made for messy weather in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with Burlington, Vermont, getting 8.5 inches of snow and Massena, New York, receiving 8.4 inches of fresh powder from the weekend storm.
—Daniel Amarante, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The rain will continue into the evening, possibly mixed with sleet, becoming all rain after 7 p.m. with a low around 35.
—Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleet
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Noun
But aside from the effect of high foot traffic on outdoor rugs, these mats can also take on a lot of damage from sunlight, rain, sleet, and snow.
—Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
Memphis, Tennessee, could record 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet, and also some ice, while Nashville could record up to 3 inches of mainly snow.
—Hanna Park, Robert Shackelford and Mary Gilbert, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, snow and sleet made for messy weather in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with Burlington, Vermont, getting 8.5 inches of snow and Massena, New York, receiving 8.4 inches of fresh powder from the weekend storm.
—Daniel Amarante, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2025
The rain will continue into the evening, possibly mixed with sleet, becoming all rain after 7 p.m. with a low around 35.
—Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleet
Cite this Entry
“Sleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleet. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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