Illustration of rattlesnake
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈra-tᵊl-ˌsnāk 
: any of several American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) that have horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken
Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence
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In the penultimate episode, Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs was killed off after being buried alive and then bitten by a rattlesnake.
—
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Despite his efforts in yelling for help, that hole ended up being the very thing that killed him as a rattlesnake slithered into the coffin and fatally attacked him.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Hauser said the crew once paused filming at a location after finding 40 to 50 rattlesnakes in the area, and Reilly said the snakes were relocated unharmed.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
He was then brutally attacked by a rattlesnake that got in through a small hole.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
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Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Despite his efforts in yelling for help, that hole ended up being the very thing that killed him as a rattlesnake slithered into the coffin and fatally attacked him.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 30 May 2026
Hauser said the crew once paused filming at a location after finding 40 to 50 rattlesnakes in the area, and Reilly said the snakes were relocated unharmed.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 May 2026
He was then brutally attacked by a rattlesnake that got in through a small hole.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rattlesnake
Cite this Entry
“Rattlesnake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattlesnake. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of various poisonous American snakes with a rattle at the end of the tail
Medical Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of the American pit vipers that have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when vibrated and that comprise the genera Sistrurus and Crotalus see diamondback rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake
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