microplastic

noun

mi·cro·plas·tic ˌmī-krō-ˈpla-stik

plural microplastics

: a very small piece of plastic especially when occurring as an environmental pollutant

—usually used in plural

… the microplastics that have made their way into the food chain and even the air we breathe.—

Los Angeles Times

… the Mariana Trench contains the highest levels of microplastics (most likely from clothing, bottles, packaging and fishing gear) yet found in the open ocean, offering irrefutable proof that plastics have penetrated even the most remote places on the planet.—

Rina Li

specifically : a piece of plastic that is five millimeters or smaller in size

Indeed, a handful of sand or cup of seawater from nearly anywhere in the world will probably be peppered with microplastics—pieces that are tinier than a small pea and often invisible. —

Jennifer Ackerman

: material consisting of microplastics

Most of that microplastic is coming not from broken down plastic soda bottles or shopping bags but textiles and clothing made of synthetic materials like polyester.—

Dharna Noor

compare nanoplastic

microplastic adjective

microplastic pollution

microplastic debris

Examples of microplastic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Species like marine mammals, turtles and fish are known to ingest microplastics, which can lead to internal injuries, poisoning, and even death. —

Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025 Brewing tea in the microwave may increase the release of microplastics from the tea bag. —

Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Jan. 2025 Drinking loose-leaf tea is probably the best way to limit your exposure to microplastics. —

Caroline Hopkins Legaspi, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025 These particles were found in the edible muscle tissues of the seafood, suggesting the microplastics and microfibers traveled from the digestive system to other places in the body. —

Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for microplastic