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

An artillery shell fired as part of the Marine Corps’ 250-year anniversary celebrations prematurely detonated over Interstate 5 in California Saturday, striking a patrol vehicle with shrapnel, according to the California Highway Patrol. —Susannah Cullinane, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2025

Officers described the shrapnel that dented the patrol car as being two inches by a half-inch. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025

No injuries were reported, but investigators recovered two pieces of shrapnel measuring approximately one to two inches long. —Christina Shaw, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025

Officers found a 2-inch piece of shrapnel on the hood of an unoccupied patrol vehicle, which was dented. —Zac Anderson, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Henry Shrapnel †1842 English artillery officer

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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