as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the clatter of a crowded cafeteria
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of clatter
Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
Even the ordinary clatter of life seems to fall into rhythm with something sacred.
—Zeyneb Sayilgan, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
In Manhattan, Henry hoofed through the city’s streets and into its clattering manufacturers’ workshops day after day, trying to drum up interest in her interchangeable umbrella.
—Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clatter
Noun
German biathlete Justus Strelow watched his bronze clatter to the floor mid-victory-dance on live television.
—Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2026
Even the ordinary clatter of life seems to fall into rhythm with something sacred.
—Zeyneb Sayilgan, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
During the fight, a knife clattered onto the subway car’s floor, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
In Manhattan, Henry hoofed through the city’s streets and into its clattering manufacturers’ workshops day after day, trying to drum up interest in her interchangeable umbrella.
—Shoshi Parks, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for clatter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clatter
Noun
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Linderbaum, a Pro Bowl selection in each of the past three seasons, signed a three-year, $81 million deal with the Raiders at the start of free agency, which added additional intrigue to the commotion surrounding Baltimore’s abandonment of the Crosby trade.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Could hear what sounded like gunshots or commotion.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The majority, rather than being rattled by a president who had attempted a coup, labored to protect the country from the hypothetical danger of a presidency rendered impotent by specious criminal prosecutions.—
Gregg Nunziata,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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Conflict in the Middle East is rattling energy markets, pushing up the cost of natural gas—the backbone of nitrogen fertilizer production—and exposing once again just how vulnerable farmers and families are to shocks beyond their control.—
Carlos Alvarado Quesada,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But, in historic gold-rush regions, prospectors use it to identify disturbances in the landscape that are suggestive of former mining operations, in the hope of finding overlooked stores.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Talks to purchase the animals began months before the April disturbance, and Simmons said her group wasn’t connected to the protests.—
David Fischer,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
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
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Sticks clacked in quick succession as passes moved up the ice.—
Panashe Matemba-Mutasa,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Its red, orange and yellow daisy-like blooms keep coming through the hottest months with almost no fuss — a strong choice for gardeners who would rather enjoy their yard than baby it.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Apr. 2026
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The plants that earn their place in a hot-weather bed are the ones that keep blooming when the thermometer climbs, draw butterflies and hummingbirds without fuss and reward you with the kind of color that makes a morning cup of coffee on the porch feel like a small vacation.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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White-Jacket did cause a stir with its discussion of the arbitrary and cruel use of flogging in the US Navy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Remove the foil and give the orzo another good stir, then bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the orzo is tender and creamy.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Chiefs finished in the bottom quarter of the NFL in sacks and quarterback hurries in 2025, per Pro Football Reference.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
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No one seems in a hurry to be anywhere else.—
Andrea Domanick,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unions have aggressively answered complaints about data centers in ways that executives at tech giants and the development firms rarely do, unafraid to bluntly confront concerns about energy and water shortages, rising electric and water bills, or noise and quality-of-life objections.—
Marc Levy,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
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The developer doesn’t expect the facility to create noise, odor or light pollution that would bother neighbors.—
Sofi Zeman
May 2,
Kansas City Star,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Clatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clatter. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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