as in babble
unintelligible or meaningless talk
parents often claim to understand the prattle of their infant offspring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to chat
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
spent an hour on the phone prattling on about nothing in particular
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to chatter
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
stop prattling and calmly tell us the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 prattle
Joshua Cohen, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
The larcenous prattle is, in this sense, a typically Wiig-ian set piece: sunny, strained and flailing for dignity.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
While some critics prattle on in the comments with doubts, D'Amelio has stayed present throughout rehearsals and leaned on her costars — many of whom are also new to Broadway — to keep her concentration.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prattle
Noun
She was getting winded on our walk, and her prattle was broken up by heavy breaths.
—Joshua Cohen, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024
The larcenous prattle is, in this sense, a typically Wiig-ian set piece: sunny, strained and flailing for dignity.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
Verb
Of course, some are just weird, like the Grampy Turnips, little old vegetable men planted in the soil who prattle on with unsolicited advice that’s occasionally useful and mostly waffle about.
—Josh Broadwell, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
While some critics prattle on in the comments with doubts, D'Amelio has stayed present throughout rehearsals and leaned on her costars — many of whom are also new to Broadway — to keep her concentration.
—Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prattle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prattle
Noun
-
Read a book and sip tea in front of the central fireplace, swim between the indoor and outdoor sections of the glimmering pool, and soak your aching quads in the hot tubs under the evergreens and aspens while listening to the peaceful babble of Gore Creek.—
Sarah Kuta,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Now the babble about them is back.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As attendees chatted over pizza and Jack Daniel’s, Thiel slipped in through the back door, joining the hipsters on folding chairs.—
James Duesterberg,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Come bake and learn with us—and don't forget to join the Bake Club group chat over on Substack.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Despite the teeth-chattering weather, a crush formed outside (SUB)MERCER, a discreet club tucked beneath The Mercer Hotel in SoHo, with everyone vying for a nod from the bouncer or publicist Sasha Sheehan.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
He’s best known at this point either for playing the clownish Jack on Will & Grace or for being the relatively serious one of the three celebrity chatters on his podcast, Smartless.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hillary Busis considers this celestial nonsense.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
-
And someone please tell the FBI and the DOJ to get to work on real crime, rather than the political nonsense.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pohlad, who went to Georgia to meet with Byron Buxton and California to talk to Joe Ryan, has also recently been tapping into the knowledge of former players, including the rotating cast of television analysts.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
-
As is her nature, Hudson talks openly and honestly about how being a mother has intertwined with her career.—
Amy Amatangelo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Perennially delighted and deeply uncool, Tascioni gabbles about the wonders of the city while her interlocutors roll their eyes at her lack of sophistication and taste.—
Lili Loofbourow,
Washington Post,
29 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
Some children clustered there to jabber and run madly about, while others just wanted attention and knew how to get it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
-
And given that these are not professional actors, or even (in most cases) people who aspire to be, LaBeouf’s words to them, full of deadly serious jabber about empathy and ego, are pumped up with an intensity that feels overdone and inappropriate.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Voices conversed in friendly banter as a speaker boomed old Motown hits and even some Jethro Tull.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
An earpiece was initially proposed strictly for emergencies — earthquakes, sudden weather changes — but Honnold readily agreed to stay connected and converse occasionally with the broadcast team below.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Prattle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prattle. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
