chatter

1 of 2

verb

chat·​ter ˈcha-tər How to pronounce chatter (audio)
chattered; chattering; chatters

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

: to utter rapidly, idly, or indistinctly
chatterer noun
chattery adjective

chatter

2 of 2

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

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 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.
Verb
Critics and the chattering masses on Instagram will have another chance to weigh in as the designers’ first collections hit the runway. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 13 June 2025 Large drips of white and blue paint obscure the chattering teeth frantically farmed in red in the lower canvas, hinting at water and perhaps someone being silenced. Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Noun
There was a lot of chatter about taxes and changes to the tax system for colleges. Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 Both players are near the top of their respective positions, but there was a lot of chatter regarding Fitzpatrick. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for chatter

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English chatteren, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chatter was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

chatter

verb
chat·​ter
ˈchat-ər
1
: to utter rapid meaningless sounds suggesting speech
squirrels chattered angrily
2
: to talk idly, continually, or rapidly
3
: to click again and again without control
teeth chattering
chatter noun
chatterer
ˈchat-ər-ər
noun
chattery
-ə-rē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chatter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!