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
The smattering of small earthquakes in Southern California generated significant, not altogether unwarranted, attention last year.
—Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
Summer Lake Hot Springs is a stand-out, with its smattering of rustic but cozy casitas and a bathhouse for soaking in indoor and outdoor mineral hot springs.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
Mould said a mix of rising corporate profits, generous cash returns to shareholders and a smattering of M & A activity had propelled the FTSE 100 higher this year, helped by falling interest rates.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
The party was sponsored by a smattering of investment firms and start-ups with names such as CodeRabbit and Bubble Computing.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2025
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Los Angeles Times, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
Summer Lake Hot Springs is a stand-out, with its smattering of rustic but cozy casitas and a bathhouse for soaking in indoor and outdoor mineral hot springs.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
Mould said a mix of rising corporate profits, generous cash returns to shareholders and a smattering of M & A activity had propelled the FTSE 100 higher this year, helped by falling interest rates.
—Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 Dec. 2025
The party was sponsored by a smattering of investment firms and start-ups with names such as CodeRabbit and Bubble Computing.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 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 25 Dec. 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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