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smattering

noun smat·ter·ing \ ˈsma-tə-riŋ \

Definition of smattering

1 :superficial piecemeal knowledge
  • a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying
  • —Alva Johnston
2 :a small scattered number or amount
  • a smattering of spectators

See smattering defined for English-language learners

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Examples of smattering in a Sentence

  1. She only knows a smattering of German.

  2. a smattering of guests at the art exhibit

Recent Examples of smattering from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smattering.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of smattering

1538

smattering Synonyms

Synonyms
couple, handful, scatter, scattering, smatter, few, sprinkle, sprinkling
Antonyms
army, crowd, flock, gazillion, horde, host, jillion, kazillion, legion, loads, many, mountain, multitude, oodles, scads, thousands, zillion
Related Words
minority; atom, crumb, fragment, grain, iota, jot, modicum, molecule, particle, scrap, shred, tittle, whit
Near Antonyms
majority, most; abundance, excess, plenty, surplus; deal, gobs, heap, lot, mass, much, peck, pile, plenitude, plenty, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, reams, slather, slew, stack, wad, wealth

SMATTERING Defined for English Language Learners

smattering

noun

Definition of smattering for English Language Learners

  • : a small amount of something

Learn More about smattering

  1. See words that rhyme with smattering Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for smattering Spanish Central: Translation of smattering Nglish: Translation of smattering for Spanish speakers

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Examples: smattering in a Sentence