Definition of shrapnel
shrapnel
1 : a projectile that consists of a case provided with a powder charge and a large number of usually lead balls and that is exploded in flight
2 : bomb, mine, or shell fragments
From the M-W Editors
Examples of shrapnel in a Sentence
He has a piece of shrapnel in his leg.
Shrapnel from the explosion wounded many people.
Recent Examples of shrapnel from the Web
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Takata inflators can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel into drivers and passengers.
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The explosion sent hundreds of pieces of high-energy shrapnel through the Boeing 777, which broke apart and crashed in farmland in eastern Ukraine.
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Dozens were injured with what appeared to be shrapnel wounds.
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An unidentified 32-year-old man damaged his right hand, was hit with shrapnel in the chest and was burned on his chest and face, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
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At least 16 deaths and more than 180 injuries have been linked to the defect, which causes the air bags to explode with too much force and spray shrapnel into...
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Because of the type of chemical propellant used by Takata, the defective air bags can inflate with too much force and spew deadly shrapnel at drivers and passengers.
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Takata was done in by defective air bag inflators that can explode with too much force, spewing out shrapnel.
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Another Capitol Police officer, David Bailey, who was hit by shrapnel, and a congressional aide, Zach Barth, who was shot, were previously treated and released from a hospital.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shrapnel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of shrapnel
Henry Shrapnel †1842 English artillery officer
SHRAPNEL Defined for English Language Learners
shrapnel
playDefinition of shrapnel for English Language Learners
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: small metal pieces that scatter outwards from an exploding bomb, shell, or mine
SHRAPNEL Defined for Kids
shrapnel
playDefinition of shrapnel for Students
: small metal pieces that scatter outwards from an exploding bomb, shell, or mine
Learn More about shrapnel
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See words that rhyme with shrapnel Spanish Central: Translation of shrapnel Nglish: Translation of shrapnel for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shrapnel
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