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

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Etymology

Origin of bullet train

First recorded in 1965–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bullet train

They also say a bullet train, and all the construction, would disrupt their peaceful downtown.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

The streamlined beak of the kingfisher, which enters the water almost without a splash, became the model for the nose of Japan’s bullet train.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

She had just taken a two-hour ride on the bullet train from Daegu to attend Lee Sulla's "book concert" in Seoul - an evening of music and author-led readings.

From BBC ● Apr. 18, 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

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

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

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