# sleet

/ˈsɫit/ (US) · /slˈiːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sleet
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. frozen rain or ice pellets

noun · CEFR B2

a mixture of rain and snow, or small pellets of ice that fall from the sky.

For teachers: precipitation consisting of ice pellets or a mixture of rain and snow. In British English, it typically refers to rain and snow together; in American English, it often refers to ice pellets.

- The rain turned to sleet as the temperature dropped, making the roads very slippery.
- The drive home was treacherous as the light rain transitioned into heavy sleet, significantly reducing visibility and traction on the motorway.

### 2. weather condition

verb · CEFR B2

when sleet is falling from the sky.

For teachers: to fall as sleet. Used as an impersonal verb, typically with the dummy subject 'it'.

- It started to sleet just as we left the house, so we went back for our heavy coats.
- Although the forecast predicted snow, it merely sleeted for most of the afternoon, leaving a slushy mess on the pavements.

Usage: Usually used with 'it' as the subject (e.g., 'It is sleeting').

## Examples

- The sleet made the roads very dangerous for drivers.
- As the temperature dropped, the rain turned into a steady sleet that coated the sidewalks in a thin layer of ice.
- The sudden transition from rain to sleet caught the local authorities off guard, leading to a significant increase in traffic accidents during the morning commute.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.