buckshot

1 of 2

noun

buck·​shot ˈbək-ˌshät How to pronounce buckshot (audio)
: lead shot that is from .24 to .33 inch (about 6.1 to 8.4 millimeters) in diameter

buckshot

2 of 2

adjective

Examples of buckshot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Officers have also hazed mountain lions with rubber bullets, buckshot, aerial crackers and pepper balls. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 In 1969, thousands of protesters marched to the site after UC officials fenced the public out before starting construction, and a bloody battle ensued when law enforcement pushed them back with tear gas and buckshot, sparking a state of emergency and one death. Austin Turner, The Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2024 Advertisement Searles set out to reteach the bears some boundaries using a combination of non-lethal methods — sometimes a gentle word, sometimes a sting to the hindquarters with rubber buckshot — that have netted ursine attention and respect. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023 You’ll be insulated from the electrical shock, and also be able to retaliate The American Way, with buckshot. Lucas Daprile, cleveland, 23 Aug. 2023 The size of the shot varies, with smaller birdshot less likely to kill or incapacitate a human, while larger buckshot is more useful for home defense. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 24 Dec. 2020 Just a lot of silver buckshot. Bill Weir, CNN, 28 Aug. 2020 The size of the shot varies, from smaller birdshot to larger buckshot. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 15 Apr. 2023 There has to be silver buckshot. Yasmine Salam, NBC News, 11 Feb. 2023
Adjective
The Cape Cod Times reports that the 39-year-old runner sustained buckshot wounds on his neck and shoulder. The Editors, Outside Online, 9 Dec. 2014 Some of the buckshot pellets passed through Arbery’s body, the autopsy showed. Shaddi Abusaid, ajc, 17 Feb. 2022 The buckshot pellets from the blast pierced my right shoulder and chest; blood gushed from the wound. Dennis S. Charney, STAT, 18 June 2021 The buckshot blast hits Maud in the chest, puncturing his right lung, ribs, and sternum. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 2 May 2012 Seven of the buckshot pellets dug a series of craters above his navel. Les Payne, The New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2020 Winchester’s Inflex technology recoil pad directs recoil downward, taking some of the sting out of heavy buckshot or goose loads. Joseph Albanese, Field & Stream, 24 Apr. 2020 Each pellet is split halfway, looking more like a splitshot sinker than a buckshot pellet. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 7 Feb. 2020 Shotguns can work great for bear, but load them with slugs, not buckshot. Richard Mann, Field & Stream, 17 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buckshot.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1775, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buckshot was in 1775

Dictionary Entries Near buckshot

Cite this Entry

“Buckshot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buckshot. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

buckshot

noun
buck·​shot
-ˌshät
plural buckshot or buckshots
: a large shotgun pellet

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