as in clattering
to make a series of short sharp noises
her teeth clacked because she was freezing while waiting for the bus
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clacking
In general, bears show agitation by swaying their heads, huffing, and clacking their teeth.
—
ABC News, 28 May 2026
The shuffling, click-clacking rhythms, twangy basslines, and pearly synths of my parents’ home country have only sounded better with time.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 18 May 2026
The sounds of shoulder pads clacking and helmets clanging filled the air Saturday morning at Spaulding Field for the UCLA football team’s fifth spring practice of the year.
—Gabriel Duarte, Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
In between the clacking tiles and competitive banter, the game allows for conversation and relaxation.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2026
The nails are clacking on the floor.
—Sergio Candido, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
The nails are clacking on the floor.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
The mom of three hears the televisions vibrating through the walls, video games clacking on the XBox, and the constant swirl of doors as her kids rumble through the house.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
With tour groups of kids laughing, heels clacking, gavels slamming as leaders bring lawmakers to order.
—Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 28 May 2026
The shuffling, click-clacking rhythms, twangy basslines, and pearly synths of my parents’ home country have only sounded better with time.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 18 May 2026
The sounds of shoulder pads clacking and helmets clanging filled the air Saturday morning at Spaulding Field for the UCLA football team’s fifth spring practice of the year.
—Gabriel Duarte, Daily News, 11 Apr. 2026
In between the clacking tiles and competitive banter, the game allows for conversation and relaxation.
—Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2026
The nails are clacking on the floor.
—Sergio Candido, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
The nails are clacking on the floor.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2026
The mom of three hears the televisions vibrating through the walls, video games clacking on the XBox, and the constant swirl of doors as her kids rumble through the house.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
With tour groups of kids laughing, heels clacking, gavels slamming as leaders bring lawmakers to order.
—Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Des Moines Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clacking
Verb
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That can mean a cycle of scraping chairs, rolling carts, and clattering equipment at times when most passengers expect quiet.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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The boom bap volume had been turned to LOUD, the crowd had mobbed every roof, railing and bit of space with even an inch of a view of the ramps, and with every cool trick came the thundering sound of skateboards clattering on the deck in approval from fellow skaters.—
Tony Le Calvez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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With violence erupting without warning from every corner — and the battle sounds on the soundtrack adding to the tension — wounded soldiers with limited supplies must perform delicate surgery despite shaking hands and rattling floors.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
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Despite the mothballed plant's handsome brick exterior, inside it's filled with rattling pipes, hazard signs and cockroach carcasses.—
Ishan Thakore,
NPR,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clacking. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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