shrapnel

noun

shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl How to pronounce shrapnel (audio)
especially Southern ˈsrap-
plural shrapnel
1
: a projectile that consists of a case provided with a powder charge and a large number of usually lead balls and that is exploded in flight
2
: bomb, mine, or shell fragments

Examples of shrapnel in a Sentence

He has a piece of shrapnel in his leg. Shrapnel from the explosion wounded many people.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Associated Press reported in December that two NATO-nation intelligence services suspect Russia is developing a new anti-satellite weapon to target Musk’s Starlink constellation with destructive orbiting clouds of shrapnel. — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026 This creates a spray of shrapnel from the rotor tips that had been traveling hundreds of miles an hour. — Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 From there, the tension stems not from an unending well of sustained suspense but from the shrapnel-like feeling of worry that comes from enduring too many uncomfortable misunderstandings at once. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 July 2026 The Iranian missile strike targeting Aqaba in Jordan on Sunday was ample evidence of that risk, with Israel saying that shrapnel fell on its territory. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shrapnel

Word History

Etymology

Henry Shrapnel †1842 English artillery officer

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shrapnel was in 1806

Browse Nearby Words

shrank
shrapnel
Shravan
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shrapnel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shrapnel. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shrapnel

noun
shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl How to pronounce shrapnel (audio)
plural shrapnel
1
: a shell designed to burst and scatter metal balls with which it is filled along with jagged fragments of the case
2
: metal pieces from an exploded bomb, shell, or mine

More from Merriam-Webster on shrapnel

Nglish: Translation of shrapnel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shrapnel

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