bullet train

American  

noun

• bullet trains
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bullet trains
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bullet train

California in 2017 issued bonds for its bullet train carrying a 2.193% rate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

These are the second-fastest trains in Japan, after the Shinkansen, also known as the bullet train.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

The tradition-steeped city, just a couple of hours from Tokyo on the bullet train, is famed for its kimono-clad geisha performers and increasingly crowded Buddhist temples.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

But the silent engine isn’t a bullet train.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

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

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye