sleet

1 of 2

noun

ˈslēt 

: rain that freezes or partly freezes as it falls from the sky

Concerned that ice pellets—also known as sleet—were a larger hazard than previously thought, the Federal Aviation Administration in late 2005 adopted strict limits on planes taking off in such icy conditions.

—Susan Carey and Andy Pasztor

The wind blew bitterly cold, and the boughs of the old tree crackled under falling sleet.

—Harriet Jacobs

compare freezing rain, hail entry 1, snow entry 1

sleety

ˈslē-tē 

adjective

sleet

2 of 2

verb

sleeted; sleeting; sleets

intransitive verb

: to shower sleet

Examples of sleet in a Sentence

Noun

The snow turned to sleet and made driving very dangerous.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There is a precipitation chance throughout the day, though with rain & sleet also being possible. —Ron Smiley, CBS News, 28 Nov. 2025

By Sunday, Nov 30, a mixture of snow, sleet and rain is forecast for the northern portions of the Appalachians and the areas surrounding lakes Erie and Ontario, AccuWeather's Sosnowski said. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025

These locations will see upwards of a few inches of snow/sleet. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025

This durable hard-shell jacket—now available in a new Pink Glo colorway—handles everything the weather throws, from waist-deep blower to spring sleet. —Outside, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English slete; akin to Middle High German slōz hailstone

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sleet

• beat
• beet
• bleat
• cheat
• cleat
• creat
• deet
• eat
• feat
• feet
• fleet
• greet

Kids Definition

sleet

1 of 2 noun

ˈslēt 

: rain that freezes or partly freezes as it falls from the sky

sleety

ˈslēt-ē 

adjective

sleet

2 of 2 verb

: to shower sleet