shrapnel

noun

shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl 

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

The blast fractured his right ulna in four places, leaving him with shrapnel wounds. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026

Prosecutors say the pair threw two devices containing the explosive TATP and shrapnel, but the jar-sized bombs failed to detonate. —Erica Byfield, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026

Prosecutors say the pair threw two devices containing the explosive TATP and shrapnel, but the jar-sized bombs failed to detonate. —ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026

The shot took out his top two incisors, wounded his face, and left him peppered with shrapnel. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Henry Shrapnel †1842 English artillery officer

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

shrapnel

noun

shrap·​nel ˈshrap-nᵊl 

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