sleet

1 of 2

noun

ˈslēt

: rain that freezes or partly freezes as it falls from the sky

Concerned that ice pellets—also known as sleet—were a larger hazard than previously thought, the Federal Aviation Administration in late 2005 adopted strict limits on planes taking off in such icy conditions.

Susan Carey and Andy Pasztor

The wind blew bitterly cold, and the boughs of the old tree crackled under falling sleet.

Harriet Jacobs

compare freezing rain, hail entry 1, snow entry 1

sleety

ˈslē-tē

adjective

sleet

2 of 2

verb

sleeted; sleeting; sleets

intransitive verb

: to shower sleet

Example Sentences

Noun The snow turned to sleet and made driving very dangerous.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ice, sleet, and snow showers are possible across the Midwest and into interior parts of the Northeast Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jennifer Gray, CNN, 14 Nov. 2022 Much of the Southeast will see a mix of wet snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain and chilly temperatures.

Virginia Barreda, USA TODAY, 23 Aug. 2022 Alabama – will see frequent storms bringing cold rains and a wintry mixture of wet snow, sleet, ice, freezing rain and chilly temperatures.

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 22 Aug. 2022 Through rain, snow, sleet, and sunshine, the Corvette Z51 never fails to impress.

Michael Simari, Car and Driver, 5 Aug. 2022 Yesterday was rainy with a touch of sleet and the hint of snow—ironic weather given yesterday’s Wordle.

Erik Kain, Forbes, 10 Nov. 2022 The storm will begin with rain about midday on Wednesday in the city, followed by a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain, and culminate in snow by late evening.

Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Feb. 2022 Many places will get a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain on Saturday morning before transitioning to rain or freezing rain as the temperature warms up through the afternoon.

Allison Chinchar, CNN, 5 Mar. 2022 By Tuesday night, a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will move into parts of New England.

NBC News, 22 Feb. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sleet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.