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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Ice melt contains salt pellets that help melt ice on driveways and sidewalks.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 4 Jan. 2026
Human adipose tissue is processed into small pellets and cultured in suspension, allowing cells to reorganize and differentiate without extensive manipulation.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
The oven runs on natural wood chips, pellets or lump charcoal, with a single load providing around 20 minutes of consistent burn.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Particularly troubling is that some women are receiving those higher doses via pellets — typically purchased from compounding pharmacies that may or may not be reliable.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Light wintry mix and rain Tuesday morning Radar may look messy start Tuesday morning is likely with pockets of wet snow flakes, sleet pellets, and rain drops expected to move through.
—Rachael Jay, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The No-Burn rule bans burning wood, pellets, and manufactured fire logs in any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 Dec. 2025
When an autopsy found lead pellets in his face, the sheriff said these might be dental fillings.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Noun
Finally, with the samples stashed safely in an ice chest, Collins opened the grills, blowtorched some pellets inside, and watched as the smoke got going.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Ice melt contains salt pellets that help melt ice on driveways and sidewalks.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 4 Jan. 2026
Human adipose tissue is processed into small pellets and cultured in suspension, allowing cells to reorganize and differentiate without extensive manipulation.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
The oven runs on natural wood chips, pellets or lump charcoal, with a single load providing around 20 minutes of consistent burn.
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Particularly troubling is that some women are receiving those higher doses via pellets — typically purchased from compounding pharmacies that may or may not be reliable.
—Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
Light wintry mix and rain Tuesday morning Radar may look messy start Tuesday morning is likely with pockets of wet snow flakes, sleet pellets, and rain drops expected to move through.
—Rachael Jay, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The No-Burn rule bans burning wood, pellets, and manufactured fire logs in any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 Dec. 2025
When an autopsy found lead pellets in his face, the sheriff said these might be dental fillings.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pellets
Noun
-
It was buried inside a shipping container alongside a silencer, an Uzi submachine gun and tens of thousands of bullets of different calibers.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Just a few days earlier in California, a house that had been decorated with lights celebrating Chanukah was riddled with bullets, with the assailant having been heard to yell anti-Jewish epithets.—
Rabbi Steve Roth,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
After dough has rested, roll into balls and arrange on baking sheet.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Patriots will meet strength with strength in this area, after Maye completed the second-most deep balls in the NFL and finished as the league’s best deep thrower by passer rating.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Cocoa powder often clumps in its container.—
Erin Merhar,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Young stars form within collapsing clouds of gas and dust, which flatten into broad protoplanetary disks where material gradually clumps into larger bodies.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pellets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pellets. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share