Definitions

shrapnel

[shrap-nl] / ˈʃræp nl /

NOUN

ammunition

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ammo armament bomb bullet cartridge chemical explosive gunpowder materiel missile munition napalm rocket torpedo

STRONG

ball buckshot cannonball charge confetti fuse grenade powder round shell shot

WEAK

iron rations

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a sign of the risks, police said this week that shrapnel fragments had fallen on the Old City.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Hadeel Sinzawi, 22, said she has been waiting for a medical evacuation for a year and a half to treat a shrapnel injury she sustained during the war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

Dr Tarek Zobier, a neurologist in Sudan, said the medical implications of having shrapnel lodged in the head vary from case to case.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Makarem says the shrapnel lodged in her head, which cannot be removed surgically, made it hard for her to study at first.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

I might finally be forced to reveal that I was hiding a wound greater than a piece of shrapnel.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Vocabulary lists containing shrapnel

"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury

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