pellets 1 of 2

noun

plural of pellet
as in bullets
a usually round or cone-shaped little piece of lead made to be fired from a firearm the tightly packed pellets of a shotgun cartridge

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pellets

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pellet
as in beads

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pellets
Noun
If pellets remain lodged inside, the group warned that an infection could, in the worst case, become life-threatening. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The man was riding a standup electric scooter north on Brickell Avenue near Southeast Seventh Street when the Mercedes pulled up to him, and the passengers began peppering him with pellets, according to a Miami police arrest report. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 According to a recent study, the first poo pellets helped spread nutrients to deeper parts of the ocean, fueling the evolution of bigger animals in more diverse ecosystems. — ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 At the company’s Woburn research facility, lab technicians recently poured pellets into a molding machine to make forks. — Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 The technicians melted pellets to roll out flexible films for food packaging, like a bag for baby carrots. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 Resin pellets were melted and extruded to created thin fibers, before they were spun together into the yarn. — Sarah Jones, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026 The Shotgun Revival A spread of pellets gives greater chance of hitting a small, elusive target than a single bullet, which is why shotguns are now so common. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Arrabaca fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building, according to authorities. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pellets
  1. bullets
  2. clumps
  3. balls
  4. lumps
Noun
  • In June, Wior’s firm raised $200 million, in a round led by Smash Capital, on the strength of its Bullfrog platform, which can respond to a drone threat in seconds by shooting them out of the sky with bullets.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Whereas these modern-style copper bullets — the next iteration — and there are several different manufacturers.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of bullets
Verb
  • Dividing clumps every few years in early spring also maintains their vigor.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
  • Like generations of potential treatments before it, KRSA-028 is designed to break down a protein called amyloid that clumps up in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
    — Allison DeAngelis, STAT, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of clumps
Noun
  • Second balls and counterattacks Hull’s prowess at mopping up second balls is not limited to McBurnie or advanced areas.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Best kids soccer balls This ball is machine-stitched using a durable plastic outer layer with a poly/cotton lining.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of balls
Verb
  • The current poll lumps together social media and messaging apps and digs into the reasons folks might quit.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Critics also say Horvath lumps together different types of ed tech and doesn’t grapple with research that supports moderate use of computers in school.
    — Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 31 May 2026
Definition of lumps

Browse Nearby Words

pelletizing
pellets
pell-mell
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Cite this Entry

“Pellets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pellets. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pellets

Nglish: Translation of pellets for Spanish Speakers

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