: 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
S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The sleet and snow have ended, but Arkansas is in for a very cold week with little melting, according to the National Weather Service.
—Anne Li, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
That shift to colder air allowed much of the precipitation to change from freezing rain to bouncy ice pellets of sleet, sparing many trees and power lines of ice buildup — and likely preventing widespread power outages.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Much of the East Coast and Midwest expect snow and sleet, with travel likely to be disrupted.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleet
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Noun
Snow, sleet and ice totals have been impressive, ranging from 1 to 5 inches.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The sleet and snow have ended, but Arkansas is in for a very cold week with little melting, according to the National Weather Service.
—Anne Li, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
That shift to colder air allowed much of the precipitation to change from freezing rain to bouncy ice pellets of sleet, sparing many trees and power lines of ice buildup — and likely preventing widespread power outages.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Much of the East Coast and Midwest expect snow and sleet, with travel likely to be disrupted.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 2026.
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