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
But the backdrop alone, along with the smattering of pros in the audience, gives my nerves a jolt.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
By the fourth quarter, only a smattering of fans remain in the stands at Canvas Stadium as this season goes further down the tubes.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
The third-quarter earnings season is just about over, but there are a smattering of notable companies scheduled to release their latest financials in the week ahead, including Walt Disney , Cisco Systems and Applied Materials .
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
Complete with a horse-riding center, mango trees (help yourself), and a smattering of restaurants, the impressive urban park can easily keep you busy all day.
—Greyson Ferguson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
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Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
By the fourth quarter, only a smattering of fans remain in the stands at Canvas Stadium as this season goes further down the tubes.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
The third-quarter earnings season is just about over, but there are a smattering of notable companies scheduled to release their latest financials in the week ahead, including Walt Disney , Cisco Systems and Applied Materials .
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2025
Complete with a horse-riding center, mango trees (help yourself), and a smattering of restaurants, the impressive urban park can easily keep you busy all day.
—Greyson Ferguson, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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
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