smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsma-tə-riŋ 
1
: superficial piecemeal knowledge
… a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying …—
Alva Johnston
Alva Johnston2
: a small scattered number or amount
a smattering of spectators
Examples of smattering in a Sentence
She only knows a smattering of German.
a smattering of guests at the art exhibit
Recent Examples on the Web
With white walls, a dark subway-tile floor, and just a light smattering of furniture, the cavernous space feels a tinge stark.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026
About a two-hour drive south of Luanda, the Praia dos Surfistas (Surfers' Beach) is set on a broad bay with beginner-friendly breaks and a smattering of easygoing beachfront resorts.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
That meshed with decades of observations that the shot prevents a smattering of other diseases.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Still, there could be at least a smattering of severe storms, especially from Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Great Lakes, including Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with a lower tornado risk.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smattering
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Mar. 2026
About a two-hour drive south of Luanda, the Praia dos Surfistas (Surfers' Beach) is set on a broad bay with beginner-friendly breaks and a smattering of easygoing beachfront resorts.
—Melanie Van Zyl, Travel + Leisure, 6 Mar. 2026
That meshed with decades of observations that the shot prevents a smattering of other diseases.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 6 Mar. 2026
Still, there could be at least a smattering of severe storms, especially from Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley and parts of the Great Lakes, including Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with a lower tornado risk.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsmat-ə-riŋ
1
: a small amount of knowledge
a smattering of French
2
: a small scattered number
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
