rubber bullet
noun
: a bullet that is made out of rubber so that it hurts but does not kill people and that is used by the police and military to control a crowd
Examples of rubber bullet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lauren Tomasi, a correspondent for CNN-affiliate 9 News in Australia was struck by a rubber bullet fired by police during her live broadcast of the Los Angeles anti-ICE protests last summer.
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Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
Some children on their way home from the school were overcome by the tear gas and a 15-year-old was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem governorate, which monitors Palestinian affairs in the area.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Phillips spoke about suffering a racist attack in London in 2023, while more recently, he was hit by a rubber bullet during his reporting on the June protests in Los Angeles.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Some officers received criticism for their response to the protest with one caught on camera firing a rubber bullet at an Australian journalist covering the protest.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025
The judge noted that no protesters were visible behind her when an LAPD officer aimed at Tomasi, hitting her leg with a rubber bullet.
—Alexandra Koch , Bill Mears, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
New York Post photographer Toby Canham was shot in the head with a rubber bullet, Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was hit in the leg and Los Angeles Police Department officers detained CNN correspondent Jason Carroll.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 17 June 2025
Deepfakes Provocative, authentic images from the protests have captured the world’s attention this week, including a protester raising a Mexican flag and a journalist being shot in the leg with a rubber bullet by a police officer.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
None of this seemed to bother Trump, whose unprecedented escalation of the federal response to L.A.’s protests this week saw a journalist shot with a rubber bullet while on camera.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
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Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 20 Jan. 2026
Some children on their way home from the school were overcome by the tear gas and a 15-year-old was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem governorate, which monitors Palestinian affairs in the area.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Phillips spoke about suffering a racist attack in London in 2023, while more recently, he was hit by a rubber bullet during his reporting on the June protests in Los Angeles.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 31 July 2025
Some officers received criticism for their response to the protest with one caught on camera firing a rubber bullet at an Australian journalist covering the protest.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025
The judge noted that no protesters were visible behind her when an LAPD officer aimed at Tomasi, hitting her leg with a rubber bullet.
—Alexandra Koch , Bill Mears, FOXNews.com, 11 July 2025
New York Post photographer Toby Canham was shot in the head with a rubber bullet, Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was hit in the leg and Los Angeles Police Department officers detained CNN correspondent Jason Carroll.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 17 June 2025
Deepfakes Provocative, authentic images from the protests have captured the world’s attention this week, including a protester raising a Mexican flag and a journalist being shot in the leg with a rubber bullet by a police officer.
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 12 June 2025
None of this seemed to bother Trump, whose unprecedented escalation of the federal response to L.A.’s protests this week saw a journalist shot with a rubber bullet while on camera.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rubber bullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubber%20bullet. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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