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

The family did not say in its announcement about Weston’s injury when the surgery to remove the shrapnel will be performed. —Andy Rose, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025

Those pieces wound like flying shrapnel. —Chris Waugh, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025

One had his foot cut off while the other two had shrapnel wounds. —Matthew Tostevin, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025

Even those who were only injured were at risk of being trampled by people fleeing the bullets and shrapnel. —Ahmed Dader august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 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