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
Amy Marturana… President Obama signed an act banning plastic microbeads from rinse-off cosmetics.—Caity Weaver
Caity WeaverIn a move that sees a new biodegradable and natural microbead alternative hit the market, BASF has launched a new wax-based product.—Lucy Whitehouse
Lucy WhitehouseExamples of microbead in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The beauty and body care products sold at Whole Foods stores also must be free from phthalates, parabens and microbeads.
—Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
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
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Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Microbead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbead. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.
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