🔫 A metal projectile 🚄 A fast train ⚾ A fast pitch

bullet

38 4.9

A very fast passenger train like the Japanese Shinkansen

noun
/ˈbʊlɪt/

: tren bala

So the next day, we're on the bullet train to Kyoto before England's next game.
a bullet train

And, you know, it was like they were going to try sushi that try what you know, and going on bullet trains and and playing these playing these places that.

Examples

Never shave on a bullet train, you know what they say.

Bullet Train (2022)
The letters were five meters high and could be seen by passengers on passing bullet trains.

Fiction book (1996)
We're going to catch the train to get to the bullet train kind of on a timeline.
There is a five a.m. bullet train for Mihara.

The Hunted (1995)
Although the university is two hours north of Tokyo (and my home) by bullet train, I did not hesitate.

Academic text (2000)
When you step outside your office door, you can hear the city's bullet-shaped transit trains roaring past.

Fiction book (1998)
My family and I took the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka for a quick getaway.
The bullet train travels at such high speeds that you can reach your destination in no time.
During our trip, we were amazed by how smooth the ride was on the bullet train.

Synonyms

train

vsbullet

110 1.3

A line of people, animals, or vehicles moving together

is narrower meaning a specific high-speed passenger service

bullet train

vsbullet

5 2.8

A very fast passenger train that runs on special tracks like those in Japan

is the same service often named after Japanese Shinkansen

streamliner

vsbullet

Archaic

1 7.7

A train or vehicle with a smooth curved shape built to move faster through the air

is about the high-speed passenger service rather than vehicle shape

supertrain

vsbullet

5.3

A very fast passenger train with modern technology

is the specific term used for services shaped by Japanese high-speed examples

Idioms

to dodge a bullet

Informal

22 6.4

Avoid a very bad or dangerous situation at the last moment

to take a bullet

Informal

20 7.2

To accept pain or risk to protect another person

to bite the bullet

Informal

12 5.8

To face a difficult or unpleasant situation bravely

with a bullet

Jargon

3 9.1

A fast rise to the top of music or movie charts

number one with a bullet

Literature

3 9.3

A clear top item on charts or rankings that is much more popular than others

to get the bullet

Informal

1 8.9

To lose a job suddenly because of a mistake or problem

Compounds

bullet hole

57 2.3

A hole in a wall, window, or piece of clothing made by a bullet

rubber bullet

11 3.8

A small hard piece of rubber police fire from guns to hurt but not kill

silver bullet

Informal

6 5.3

A simple answer that seems to fix a very hard problem quickly

bullet train

5 2.8

A very fast passenger train that runs on special tracks like those in Japan

magic bullet

2 6.8

A simple fix people hope can solve a difficult problem quickly

magic bullet

1 5.5

A treatment like a drug that cures or prevents a disease quickly and effectively

tracer bullet

Specialized

1 7.0

A bullet that leaves a bright trail so you can see its path

bullet fingerprinting

Specialized

7.2

A way to identify the gun that fired a bullet by examining marks on the bullet and its case

dumdum bullet

NSFW

8.4

A small bullet with a soft tip that expands when it hits something, making a large wound

ghost bullet

Specialized

9.9

A bullet that leaves almost no sign to show where it came from

tracer bullet

Jargon

7.0

A small quick test in software that checks if core parts work together

How Fast

supertrain

5.3

bullet

38 4.9

express

251 3.2

local

5 2.7

Surface Forms

bullet singular

bullets plural

Etymology

Bullet for a train is a simple image: people compared very fast, pointed trains to a bullet from a gun, especially when Japan's Shinkansen first showed this speed and shape. That's why a bullet train means a very fast passenger train.