RATTLES Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

rattles 1 of 2

noun

plural of rattle

as in noises

loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound I'd go nuts if I had to endure the rattle of that bottling plant every day

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rattles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rattle

as in clatters

to make a series of short sharp noises the children tromped through the kitchen, making the plates on the shelf rattle

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as in chats

to engage in casual or rambling conversation busily rattling away about our vacation plans, we didn't listen to the announcements and missed our flight

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as in rambles

to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point she rattled on and on about all her European shopping trips, but I wasn't really listening

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as in embarrasses

to throw into a state of self-conscious distress don't let a little mistake rattle you while you're playing during the piano recital

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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 rattles

Noun

The seeds are loose and clatter around inside the pods, giving baptisia the name rattleweed, as children once used the seedpods as rattles. —

Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 May 2026 With dresses and intimate wear for women; jewelry; personal care products; men’s wallets; baby swaddles, stuffies, rattles and teething toys; dog leashes, collars and toys; greeting cards and a wide range of home decor, the store is drawing people in. —

Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2026 The snakes can, however, lose their rattles or simply decide not to use them. —

Don Sweeney april 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Cunningham’s Fisher-Price pianos and decrepit drums are unmistakable, as is Ciani’s Buchla, which whooshes and rattles like a steam engine barreling down the tracks. —

Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026 Most people initially become aware of the reptiles by hearing their rattles, which the snakes use to try to scare off aggressors or to distract prey. —

Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026 If your current carry-on rattles, tips, or barely survives a weekend away, consider this your sign. —

Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2026 Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints. —

Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025 Cutlery, rattles and cups are among the most popular choices as keepsake gifts for newborns. —

Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025

Verb

As Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence boom powers America’s economy, rattles its job market, and shapes its national security priorities, political leaders are struggling for traction on how the government should seek to engage the technology, if at all. —

Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 June 2026 Israeli military warning rattles coastal city Israeli strikes over southern Lebanon continued, especially in and around the battered cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. —

Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where Paige Spiranac gears up for the PGA Championship with her mom and rattles America's cage. —

Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026 His comments come as consumer sentiment in the US continued to decline this month, hitting a record low as the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz rattles global energy markets. —

Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 Fans will have to tune in next week to find out Andrea's fate — and see if her abduction rattles Kayce. —

Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 The film rattles enough skeletons, both on screen and in the audience, to ensure that Cronin’s name will be remembered by genre heads with or without the titular reminder. —

Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026 The threat rattles Reef and prompts him to apologize to all the major figures from his past whom he's offended or hurt over the years. —

Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026 Emma’s shocking admission rattles the entire wedding party, particularly Haim’s Rachel, whose cousin was left paralyzed by an act of gun violence. —

Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattles

Noun

Even within the walls of the apartment, there was the hum of the refrigerator, the soft ticking of a radio alarm clock and the clock in the VCR, the submarine tlack of the cassette reversing in the answering machine, and other little noises.

— Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Unpredictable hours, loud noises, finicky clients, wrenches, needles.

— Jane Bua, New Yorker, 1 June 2026