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
Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
As Paula finally reaches Detective Gonzalez and excitedly chatters about her wire transfer ruse, the wry officer isn’t amused.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026
But sidle up to the bar, eerily silent until the restaurant quickly fills with chatter, and order a stiff drink before settling into a table and digging into heaping plates of pasta, milanesa, and a Caesar salad that always hits the spot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for chatter
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Verb
Families line up down the block to order ice cream at Salt & Straw, while students chatter over their laptops at Coupa Cafe.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
As Paula finally reaches Detective Gonzalez and excitedly chatters about her wire transfer ruse, the wry officer isn’t amused.
—Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026
Noun
The walk up Telegraph Hill is equally memorable, often accompanied by the chatter of the hill’s famous wild parrots.
—Alia Beard Rau, USA Today, 10 June 2026
But sidle up to the bar, eerily silent until the restaurant quickly fills with chatter, and order a stiff drink before settling into a table and digging into heaping plates of pasta, milanesa, and a Caesar salad that always hits the spot.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for chatter
Cite this Entry
“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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