microbead

noun

mi·​cro·​bead ˈmī-krō-ˌbēd 

plural microbeads

: a usually solid microsphere

Microbeads have been known to impart more than just a scrubbed-clean feeling to skin; the plastic particles, added to everything from cleansers to toothpastes, also pollute the planet's waterways and make their way up the food chain.

—Amy Marturana

… President Obama signed an act banning plastic microbeads from rinse-off cosmetics.

—Caity Weaver

In a move that sees a new biodegradable and natural microbead alternative hit the market, BASF has launched a new wax-based product.

—Lucy Whitehouse

Examples of microbead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During the 30-day experiment, rats on a diet comprised of 60% fat – far higher than the 35% to 40% typically seen in human diets – excreted more fat after eating the microbeads, but without side effects or blood sugar fluctuations. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025

To test the effectiveness of the beads, researchers fed mice either a normal diet, a high-fat diet without microbeads, or a high-fat diet with daily microbeads. —Jay Kakade august 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2025

Researchers have developed these microbeads made from tea polyphenols, vitamin E and seaweed that, when consumed, bind to fats in the gastrointestinal tract. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025

Nolah's weighted blanket is made with a bamboo cover that keeps you cool all night—and its glass microbead filling also keeps you comfortable without heating up. —Jaylyn Pruitt, Health, 31 Jan. 2023

Word History

Etymology

micro- + bead entry 1

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for microbead

• aniseed
• centipede
• cottonseed
• disagreed
• ganymede
• guaranteed
• intercede
• overspeed
• pedigreed
• refereed
• supercede
• supersede