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

On Monday, as gunfire broke out between armed groups near Toussaint Louverture International Airport, a stray bullet struck a glass door of an administrative building, leading domestic carrier Sunrise Airways to cancel flights for the day. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026

Welcome to a Hump Day Nightcaps — the one where Hilary stops by for a workout that leaves suburban moms across the US of A sweating bullets. —Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026

The bullet struck his heart, piercing his aorta, Kenny said. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026

Using mathematical and three-dimensional modeling, the researchers scrutinized the damage on Pompeii’s walls and ultimately found that the angles and grooves didn’t match typical sling bullets or catapult shots. —Taylor Mitchell Brown, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 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