: 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
Susan Carey and Andy PasztorThe 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
Harriet JacobsExamples of sleet in a Sentence
Noun
The snow turned to sleet and made driving very dangerous.
Recent Examples on the Web
David Chiu, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
During the day, drivers must also turn on their headlights whenever weather conditions, such as rain, fog, snow, or sleet reduce visibility.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Winter clouds and sleet blurred everything together, but as my eyes adjusted, what seemed dull grew more distinctive.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
New England will see a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain this weekend as two rounds of precipitation move northward.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleet
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Noun
The next morning, April 11, the three headed to Cheyenne Airport to resume the flight, even though the forecast was filled with wind, sleet and thunderstorms.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 11 Apr. 2026
During the day, drivers must also turn on their headlights whenever weather conditions, such as rain, fog, snow, or sleet reduce visibility.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
Winter clouds and sleet blurred everything together, but as my eyes adjusted, what seemed dull grew more distinctive.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
New England will see a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain this weekend as two rounds of precipitation move northward.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleet
Cite this Entry
“Sleet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleet. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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