bullet train

American  

noun

1. a high-speed passenger train, as on certain routes in Japan.

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bullet train British  

noun

1. a passenger train that travels at very high speed

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Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Winds are slowly blowing sand into the 75-mile trench meant to hold a bullet train, while once-bustling worker camps have turned to ghost towns, one former employee said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

But the silent engine isn’t a bullet train.

From Barron's • Nov. 15, 2025

The bullet train was proposed decades ago as a way to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in less than three hours by 2020.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2025

One of Japan's busiest bullet train lines came to a halt after a snake tangled itself in a power line, causing a power outage.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

Rafik wanted to be reborn in Japan so he could ride the bullet train.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye