bullet

noun

bul·​let ˈbu̇-lət 

also ˈbə-

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)

bulleted

ˈbu̇-lə-təd 

also ˈbə-

adjective

Synonyms of bullet

• ball
• ammunition
• shell
• cartridge
• pellet

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

Though the sequence of how they were fired is unclear, within moments a panel on the train’s interior would end up with a bullet hole, and Cabey with a serious gunshot wound. —Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026

According to Haar, some law enforcement agencies are now employing more advanced rubber or foam bullet variants that contain capsaicin powder inside, further combining the blunt force trauma of the projectile with the effects of a chemical irritant. —Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026

The officers arrived found multiple people at the corner of Rubens Way and East Cypress Road, including a male victim with a grazing wound to his head that was determined to be from a bullet, police said. —Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026

But the county sheriff rejected the idea that there had been any foul play, instead suggesting that Lee had died in a car accident and that the lead bullets detected in his jaw were simply dental fillings. —Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing bullet

• bite the bullet
• bullet point
• bullet train
• dodge a bullet
• dodge the bullet
• magic bullet
• rubber bullet
• silver bullet

Rhymes for bullet

• pullet

Kids Definition

bullet

noun

bul·​let ˈbu̇l-ət 

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)

bulleted

-ət-əd 

adjective

Etymology

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