chattered; chattering; chatters
1
: to utter rapid short sounds suggestive of language but inarticulate and indistinct
squirrels chattered angrily
2
: to talk idly, incessantly, or fast
3
a
: to click repeatedly or uncontrollably
teeth chattering with cold
b
: to vibrate rapidly in cutting
a chattering tool
c
: to vibrate especially audibly as a consequence of repeated sticking and slipping
chattering brakes
: to utter rapidly, idly, or indistinctly
chatterer
noun
1
: the action or sound of chattering
2
: idle talk : prattle
3
: electronic and especially radio communication between individuals engaged in a common or related form of activity
also
: such chatter regarding future hostile activities
4
: a person who participates in online chat
Excite, Inc. … reports that users log a total of 7.5 to 8 million chat minutes on an average day. Half of online chatters are aged 18 to 34, and 15 percent are under age 17.—
Rebecca Piirto Heath
Rebecca Piirto HeathSynonyms
Examples of chatter in a Sentence
Verb
Children chattered in the middle of the playground.
My teeth were chattering from the cold.
Birds chattered in the trees.
Noun
heard the chatter of squirrels
pleasant chatter over morning coffee
Recent Examples on the WebJanine Davidson, Foreign Affairs, 2 Mar. 2015
Nestled just blocks between Harvard and MIT, Faro Cafe has become a watering hole for college students who chatter excitedly, and at one table near some leafy plants, discuss the latest in the mobile phones.
—Danish Bajwa, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2024
Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024
No one would even admit to using chatters on the record.
—Joel Stein, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chatter 
Verb
Accordingly, the United States’ incremental, long-term rebalance to the Asia-Pacific (which still continues slowly on course) is an example of Obama’s strategic patience at work, no matter how many times Washington’s chattering class eagerly pens its epitaph.
—Janine Davidson, Foreign Affairs, 2 Mar. 2015
Nestled just blocks between Harvard and MIT, Faro Cafe has become a watering hole for college students who chatter excitedly, and at one table near some leafy plants, discuss the latest in the mobile phones.
—Danish Bajwa, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2024
Noun
To be sure, not all chatter around the tech giant is negative.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2024
No one would even admit to using chatters on the record.
—Joel Stein, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for chatter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chatter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to chatter
Dictionary Entries Near chatter
Cite this Entry
“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share