bullet train

noun

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Definition of bullet train

: a high-speed passenger train especially of Japan

Recent Examples of bullet train from the Web

In a case on a bullet train earlier this month, an attacker fatally stabbed a passenger who tried to stop him after two others were injured.

— mari yamaguchi, The Seattle Times, "Man kills policeman, guard in attacks near school in Japan," 26 June 2018
Dozens of domestic flights in and out of Osaka were grounded, while train and subway service in the Osaka area including the bullet train were suspended to check for damage.

— Fox News, "Japan earthquake kills 3 including 9-year-old girl; scores injured," 19 June 2018
The morning commute was disrupted, as dozens of domestic flights in and out of Osaka were grounded, while train and subway service in the Osaka area including the bullet train were suspended to check for damage.

— ken moritsugu and mari yamaguchi, USA TODAY, "3 dead, dozens injured by Japan earthquake," 18 June 2018
The North Koreans were given a grand tour not just of Beijing but also of Shanghai and the rural central province of Shanxi, traveling on state-of-the-art bullet trains and receiving tutorials on how China rapidly built up its cities and industries.

— jane perlez, New York Times, "A Trump-Kim Deal Could Send China’s Trade With North Korea Soaring," 5 June 2018
Roads were closed and train services suspended in parts of western Japan while Shinkansen bullet train services resumed on a limited schedule after being suspended on Friday.

— NBC News, "81 people killed in torrential rains, landslides in western Japan," 8 July 2018
The all-access card is to Dubai what the Japan Rail Pass, around $260 for sevens days of unlimited bullet trains around the country, is to Japanese trains.

— sebastian modak, Condé Nast Traveler, "The New Dubai Pass Is an All-Access Ticket to the City's Major Attractions," 2 May 2018
So, a ride on this bullet train is well worth it—for foodies and fangirls alike.

— elise taylor, Vogue, "Japan Takes Transportation to the Next Level With a Hello Kitty Bullet Train," 26 June 2018
By evening, bullet trains and some local trains had resumed operation, and stations were swollen with commuters trying to get home, many of them waiting in long lines.

— mari yamaguchi, BostonGlobe.com, "Strong quake near Osaka, Japan, kills 4, damages buildings," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bullet train.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.