plastic bullet: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal / Technical / News / Historical
Quick answer
What does “plastic bullet” mean?
A solid, non-lethal or less-lethal projectile made from plastic, typically fired from a specialized gun for riot control.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A solid, non-lethal or less-lethal projectile made from plastic, typically fired from a specialized gun for riot control.
A symbol of state or police force used for crowd control, often associated with political conflict, civil unrest, and controversies over the use of force.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is far more prevalent in British/Irish English due to its historical use in Northern Ireland. In American English, terms like 'rubber bullet', 'bean bag round', or 'less-lethal round' are more common.
Connotations
In UK/Irish contexts, it carries heavy historical/political weight from The Troubles. In US contexts, it's a more generic term for non-lethal ammunition.
Frequency
High frequency in UK/Irish historical/political discourse; low frequency in general American English, except in specific reports on crowd control methods.
Grammar
How to Use “plastic bullet” in a Sentence
[Authority] fired plastic bullets at [crowd/protesters].[Protesters] were hit/injured by plastic bullets.The use of plastic bullets was [condemned/authorized].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “plastic bullet” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The army was authorised to plastic-bullet the rioters. (Note: extremely rare as verb, 'to fire plastic bullets at' is standard)
American English
- The police did not plastic-bullet the crowd. (Note: extremely rare as verb)
adverb
British English
- The crowd was dispersed plastic-bullet-quickly. (Note: highly unconventional/poetic)
adjective
British English
- plastic-bullet injuries
- the plastic-bullet controversy
American English
- plastic-bullet rounds
- a plastic-bullet incident
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially in security equipment manufacturing or defense contracting contexts.
Academic
Used in political science, history, criminology, and conflict studies papers discussing state force and crowd control.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation unless discussing news about riots or historical events.
Technical
Used in police/military manuals, public order training documents, and human rights reports on use of force.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “plastic bullet”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “plastic bullet”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “plastic bullet”
- Using 'plastic bullet' to refer to any non-metallic toy projectile.
- Confusing it with 'rubber bullet' (which may have a different composition and intended effect).
- Assuming it is always non-lethal (they have caused fatalities).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are classified as 'less-lethal' or 'non-lethal', but they can and have caused serious injuries and fatalities, especially if fired at close range or hitting vulnerable parts of the body.
Both are types of baton rounds. Plastic bullets are typically solid PVC, while rubber bullets may be made of rubber or have a rubber coating. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they refer to different specific designs.
They were first introduced for use by the British Army in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, with a specific model (the L5 Plastic Baton Round) becoming widely used.
Typically, no. They are specialised ammunition for law enforcement and military use in crowd control scenarios and are not generally available for civilian purchase.
A solid, non-lethal or less-lethal projectile made from plastic, typically fired from a specialized gun for riot control.
Plastic bullet is usually formal / technical / news / historical in register.
Plastic bullet: in British English it is pronounced /ˈplæstɪk ˈbʊlɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈplæstɪk ˈbʊlət/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(to be) on the receiving end of a plastic bullet (to experience harsh treatment or criticism)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a child's toy gun bullet, but larger and fired with real force – it's PLASTIC but not a toy; it's a BULLET but (intended to be) non-lethal.
Conceptual Metaphor
CROWD CONTROL IS WAR (bullets, firing, targets); STATE POWER IS PHYSICAL FORCE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'plastic bullet' MOST historically significant?