rattle

1 of 3

verb (1)

rat·​tle ˈra-tᵊl How to pronounce rattle (audio)
rattled; rattling ˈrat-liŋ How to pronounce rattle (audio)
ˈra-tᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1
: to make a rapid succession of short sharp noises
the windows rattled in the wind
2
: to chatter incessantly and aimlessly
3
: to move with a clatter or rattle
also : to be or move about in a place or station too large or grand
rattled around the big old house

transitive verb

1
: to say, perform, or affect in a brisk lively fashion
rattled off four magnificent backhandsKim Chapin
2
: to cause to make a rattling sound
3
: rouse
specifically : to beat (a cover) for game
4
: to upset especially to the point of loss of poise and composure : disturb

rattle

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: a device that produces a rattle
specifically : a case containing pellets used as a baby's toy
b
: the sound-producing organ on a rattlesnake's tail
2
a
: a rapid succession of sharp clattering sounds
b
3

rattle

3 of 3

verb (2)

rattled; rattling ˈrat-liŋ How to pronounce rattle (audio)
ˈra-tᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

: to furnish with ratlines
Choose the Right Synonym for rattle

embarrass, discomfit, abash, disconcert, rattle mean to distress by confusing or confounding.

embarrass implies some influence that impedes thought, speech, or action.

the question embarrassed her so much she couldn't answer

discomfit implies a hampering or frustrating accompanied by confusion.

hecklers discomfited the speaker

abash presupposes some initial self-confidence that receives a sudden check, producing shyness, shame, or a feeling of inferiority.

abashed by her swift and cutting retort

disconcert implies an upsetting of equanimity or assurance producing uncertainty or hesitancy.

disconcerted by finding so many in attendance

rattle implies an agitation that impairs thought and judgment.

rattled by all the television cameras

Examples of rattle in a Sentence

Noun I'd go nuts if I had to endure the rattle of that bottling plant every day.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Shipyards up and down the Yangtze River, with thousands of workers, clang and rattle from dawn until far into the night. Keith Bradsher, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023 Whenever an express train roared by, the windows would rattle. Haruki Murakami, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023 Confidence was further rattled when Zelensky abruptly fired his defense minister last week. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023 With only 2 miles to my next water source, I was rattled by a rattlesnake in the middle of a field of tall desert grasses. Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 30 Aug. 2023 The sonic boom generates shock waves for miles away, rattling windows, tripping car alarms, and wreaking environmental havoc. Jaclyn Trop, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2023 The protests have rattled the Assad government, but don’t seem to pose an existential threat. Kareem Chehayeb, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2023 For example, there are removable rubber liners at the bottom of the map pockets to keep stuff from rattling and also to allow for cleaning. Tony Swan, Car and Driver, 28 Aug. 2023 The report found that the live rounds could be distinguished from those types of dummies, either by rattling them or by noticing the lack of a hole. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 15 Aug. 2023
Noun
The clacking rattle of steel wheels on steel rails creates a lulling percussive soundtrack. Patricia Harris and David Lyon, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2023 The eerie stillness of the place was punctuated by the rattle of heavy machinery and the cries of gulls down by the water, where an immense metal containment tank has been mangled like a dog’s chew toy. Tim Hornyak, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2023 Who among us isn’t dreaming of fall, chilly morning and brisk evenings, the constant rattle of the air conditioner a distant memory? Sarah Bahari, Dallas News, 22 Aug. 2023 Aztec dancers wearing colorful feather headdresses and wooden ankle rattles led the parade, dancing to the beat of a drum. Elena Kadvany, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Apr. 2023 Evolution of Tradition It is widely believed that clamorous send-offs, like the timeless rattle of tin cans on the back of newlyweds’ getaway vehicles, stem from the French tradition of charivari (a French word for uproar). Alix Strauss, New York Times, 12 July 2023 Two teams of three players each attempt to roll a basketball-size ball with rattles inside over the opponent’s goal line. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2023 The smallest member of the legendary tackle-makers N series, its medium-tight action and rattles are a one-two punch that crappie can’t dodge. Pete M. Anderson, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2023 On a recent afternoon, dozens of people stood at the lake’s edge holding baskets, rattles and freshly sprouted branches of riparian plants. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2023
Verb
Storms move farther east The severe weather that rattled more than a dozen states on Tuesday was expected to move east on Wednesday. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2023 The ashes of Olivier were interred in the abbey in 1991; at the memorial service, a recording of the famous speech was played, filling the church with the actor’s glorious bellicosity and echoing over the tomb of King Henry, whose valor inspired the words that now rattled his bones. Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023 The Aztecs rallied from at least eight down to win their previous three games, and rattled the Huskies with a 9-0 run, pulling within 56-50 as NRG Stadium went from snoozy to a potential doozy. John Marshall, ajc, 4 Apr. 2023 Trump’s New York team has been led by Susan Necheles, who has long-standing ties to the Trump Organization, and Joe Tacopina, who has conducted rounds of combative television interviews that have rattled some of Trump’s other lawyers. Jacqueline Alemany, Josh Dawsey and Rosalind S. Helderman, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Apr. 2023 All three were good looks that rattled in and out. Adam Baum, The Enquirer, 19 Mar. 2023 Even if a spiraling crisis of confidence in the US banking system rattled investors, the moves in the Cboe Volatility Index didn’t necessarily show that. Jess Menton, Fortune, 18 Mar. 2023 Frese and her players hoped to rattle the Crusaders with their defensive aggression. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2023 Kristin Smart's family hopes guilty verdict in her 1996 murder brings them some closure Smart’s disappearance rattled the town of San Luis Obispo, with little progress being made in the case for more than two decades. Travis Caldwell, CNN, 10 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rattle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English ratelen; akin to Middle Dutch ratel rattle

Verb (2)

irregular from ratline

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1519, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1729, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rattle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near rattle

Cite this Entry

“Rattle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattle. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

rattle

1 of 2 verb
rat·​tle ˈrat-ᵊl How to pronounce rattle (audio)
rattled; rattling ˈrat-liŋ How to pronounce rattle (audio)
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
: to make or cause to make a rattle
windows rattling in the wind
2
: chatter sense 2
rattled on and on about the party
3
: to move with a rattle
the old truck rattled down the street
4
: to say or do in a brisk lively way
rattled off the answers
5
: to disturb the calmness of : upset
the question rattled the speaker

rattle

2 of 2 noun
1
: a series of short sharp sounds : clatter
2
: a device (as a toy) for making a rattling sound
3
: a rattling organ at the end of a rattlesnake's tail made up of horny joints

Medical Definition

rattle

noun
rat·​tle ˈrat-ᵊl How to pronounce rattle (audio)
1
: the sound-producing organ on a rattlesnake's tail
2
: a throat noise caused by air passing through mucus
specifically : death rattle compare rale, rhonchus

More from Merriam-Webster on rattle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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