rattles 1 of 2

plural of rattle

rattles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rattle
1
as in clatters
to make a series of short sharp noises the children tromped through the kitchen, making the plates on the shelf rattle

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
4

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
LightDesire Musical Caterpillar Tummy Time Toy From squeaking noises to baby rattles to teething toys, this music caterpillar contributes to a complete multi-sensory experience. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 Owner complaints around the current-generation Tundra have included interior rattles and occasional trim or electronic issues. Josh Max, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Drummer Jay Russell kept to stark rattles, Sam Shipstone patched in his scratchy electric guitar, and Ryan Needham needled through grumbling basslines. Victoria Borlando, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026 Jigs with rattles are most productive and a big, active trailer is the way to go in muddy water. David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026 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 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
Verb
All agree that police abuse of the ALPR system, such as in Milwaukee, rattles the public’s trust. Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 26 July 2026 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 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
  • McGee joked with the crowd that their most similar qualities were distress around loud noises and mild anxiety.
    Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Anna Watson’s lighting keeps much of the house just dim enough to make the imagination dangerous, while Tony winner Gareth Fry’s sound design surrounds the audience with ominous noises whose sources aren’t always immediately clear.
    Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Then, a mannequin clatters to the floor from the ceiling and breaks apart.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
  • Deacon clatters off in his truck, leaving me to contemplate my new home.
    Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Shuenemeyer regularly chats with other arborists from Maine to Washington, looking to identify and catalog historic varieties of apples.
    Kevin Strong, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Some of the German Telegram chats date back to at least 2020, court documents show.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • Look for wildflowers and endemic fauna on the Tomales Point Trail, which rambles for nearly 10 miles on this special, skinny peninsula, delivering gorgeous, foggy views of the Pacific Ocean.
    Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
  • Kachina rambles for 5 miles but the most vibrant color is found on the first half of the hike.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.
    Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Exactly 60 years after Williams’ induction speech on the steps of the Hall of Fame, Baker walked into the Hall and was greeted by the loud roars of another Boston Red Sox legend, David Ortiz.
    Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
  • Johnson’s first budget made the CARE pilot permanent and doubled staff positions in 2024, to roars of approval from his progressive base.
    Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Abdul-Mateen, who previously won an Emmy for his role on HBO’s Watchmen and was Tony-nominated for Topdog/Underdog, talks to Vanity Fair about his show’s sudden cancellation, his newest hobby, and being kinder to himself.
    Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Patrick, who talks regularly with Ford and Moore, agreed, saying that is not just how a governor does the job, but how a candidate wins it in the first place.
    Steven Sloan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This strange girl who wanders around alone in the middle of nowhere and then enters a house that belongs to gentle bears.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • But the mystery train starts veering off the rails as Flowers wanders away from enjoyable rhinestone reinvention and defaults to the heavy-handed Springsteenian realism that’s sometimes been both his Rosetta stone and his Achilles’ heel.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rattles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattles. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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