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 HeathExamples 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 Web
Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
While some kids seem to chatter nonstop before age 2, others may take a little longer to find their words.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 20 Oct. 2025
Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
There was chatter that the Laguna Beach-Dana Hills game was the Bravo Bowl, or the winner will be placed in the Bravo League for 2026-27.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chatter
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Verb
With every enemy dead, the familiar sounds of the Halo universe are gone — there’s no Grunts squeaking insults or Jackals chattering in another language.
—Alyssa Mercante, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
While some kids seem to chatter nonstop before age 2, others may take a little longer to find their words.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
On the other end of the spectrum, the platform just acquired distribution rights for a raft of Ringer podcasts, increasing the chances sports fans throw on Netflix rather than YouTube when looking for sports chatter without having to shell out for more exclusive game rights.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
There was chatter that the Laguna Beach-Dana Hills game was the Bravo Bowl, or the winner will be placed in the Bravo League for 2026-27.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chatter
Cite this Entry
“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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