bullet

noun

Synonyms of bulletnext
often attributive
1
: a round or elongated missile (as of lead) to be fired from a firearm
broadly : cartridge sense a
2
a
: something resembling a bullet (as in curved form)
b
: a large dot placed in printed matter to call attention to a particular passage
3
: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (such as a ball or puck)

Examples of bullet in a Sentence

He was killed by an assassin's bullet. Bullets were used to separate each item. The quarterback threw a bullet to the receiver.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The friend later told police that she was nearly hit in the head and leg by the bullets. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 This means that shooting down a small drone with three bullets at once is much easier than with one. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026 Howard was shot in the face, and the fragmented bullet broke his nose and hit his eye, lip, tooth and arm, according to a lawsuit. Katie Langford, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 When gunfire is detected, the technology can identify the blast from the gun and the sound wave caused by a bullet moving through the air. Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bullet

Word History

Etymology

Middle French boulette small ball & boulet missile, diminutives of boule ball — more at bowl

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bullet was in 1579

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bullet. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a usually cone-shaped lead pellet fixed in the front of a firearms cartridge
2
a
: something like a bullet
b
: a large dot used in print to call attention to a particular passage
3
: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (as a ball)
Etymology

from early French boulette "small ball" and boulet "something thrown or shot," from boule "ball," from Latin bulla "bubble" — related to boil, bowl

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