1
as in chatter
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this
their patter could be heard down the hall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field
the patter of highbrow criticism that one hears in fashionable art galleries
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
the toddler pattered on for what seemed like hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of patter
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
The first is another patter song for Pierce, which is needless.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
In the run-up to evening events, the hotel’s long hallways had the vibe of a college dorm, with barefoot teens pattering from room to room.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patter
Noun
There's five fewer minutes to answer that score, so pitter patter!
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
The first is another patter song for Pierce, which is needless.
—Christian Lewis, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
One of the most impressive aspects is a mix of its seasonal and weather systems, with spring buds, fall colors and blanketing snow, mixed with high winds and rainstorms pattering drops on my DualSense controller.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
In the run-up to evening events, the hotel’s long hallways had the vibe of a college dorm, with barefoot teens pattering from room to room.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for patter
Noun
-
Tariffs, recession chatter, political uncertainty -- these factors are upending the sales environment for mainstream and luxury automakers alike.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
8 June 2025
-
An etiquette expert and the author of a new book about manners is causing plenty of online chatter about the proper way to eat a banana and other common handheld foods.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
District 3 Board Member Ann Maine, while in support of the assessment’s goal, questioned if different terminology could be used for the same result to avoid undue attention from the national level.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
-
After all, ocean issues can involve sophisticated terminology that may make newcomers hesitant to follow along.—
Simi Thambi,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
Fried, meanwhile, adjusted his slider grip a few weeks ago after chatting with Rodón.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
-
There was even a right royal visit, with King Charles III rocking up to chat with John Lennon’s son Julian and Yellowstone star Mo Brings Plenty, of all people.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
He’s started bypassing them, the City Hall reporters, in favor of talk podcasts, conservative outlets, and the remaining bits of the ethnic media that still exists in the city.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
-
But how will the U.S. withdrawal from the global climate talks affect the overall trend?—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Weyman didn’t have long to prepare for the massive character milestone, but emphasized the importance of dialect to his portrayal of the Grey Wanderer.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
No More Officers often deal with documents in rare dialects, bad translations or messy handwriting.—
Raghu Para,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
The images are presented in both individual and paired compositions and, in the short films, Bottega Veneta artisans converse with Chase-Riboud, Hutton, Thanaerng, and Lau.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
29 May 2025
-
By touching a button, users can open a box to converse with an A.I. assistant that can review and answer questions about the information on a website.—
Tripp Mickle,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
Zimbabwe and South Africa share in Rhodes a common ancestor; in Ndebele a language with a close connection to Zulu (the most spoken language in South Africa); and the common visual vocabulary sometimes called Ndebele art.—
Percy Zvomuya,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
Of note is the incorporation of vocabulary from Ivan’s archaic Norm language, a special touch that entranced me.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
1 June 2025
Verb
-
At night, passing juggernauts rattle the structure, shaking them from their slumber.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
5 June 2025
-
While Trump allies see the president’s reversals as a sign of necessary flexibility and part of a grand plan, the TACO acronym suggests Trump gets rattled at the first sign of trouble.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Patter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/patter. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share