rattling 1 of 3

rattling

2 of 3

adverb

rattling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of rattle
1
as in clattering
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 rattling
Adjective
Here a number of the emigrants who arrived late were stowed away on a rattling floor of cane, covered with hides. Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, 2 Oct. 2020
Verb
Norwood is just the latest example of the AI threat that rattling the TV and film industry. Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 30 Sep. 2025 Across the past decade, HARDY has become one of Nashville’s most prolific, versatile voices, a songwriter and artist who can put forth a twangy country anthem as easily as a bone-rattling rock song. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025 More concerning, Russian nuclear saber rattling has reanimated concerns in Europe and elsewhere that revisionist powers might use nuclear coercion to pursue wars of aggression. Mariano-Florentino CuÉllar, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025 But residents recounted the quake rattling them awake, evoking descriptions of a significant jolt and rumbling. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025 Shut your bedroom door or use a towel to prevent rattling. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025 Instead of being deep fried, pig skins are crisped up on the pit and chopped into shards that deliver an incredible punch of smoke beneath each jaw-rattling crunch. Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025 No rattling wheels, no jolts, just a smooth, whisper-quiet ride. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025 At Chapman University, senior Zack Dell said the assassination has been rattling. Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattling
Adjective
  • An end to the fighting is expected to lead to rapid increases in the supply of food and other basic needs.
    Greg Myre, NPR, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Over and over, the department has used the threat of pulling federal funding to force compliance with new directives and rapid shifts in policy.
    Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 8 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Some genres may be extremely violent and gory, so parents may want to consider supervising their children's viewing of films or avoid them altogether.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Grain bins and silos can be extremely deadly if people get trapped inside.
    Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Brown had just caught his first touchdown pass as a Bronco, climbing high above his defender to bring in the ball before clattering down to the filed.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 2 Oct. 2025
  • From the clattering dishes, to the kitschy decor, to staple breakfast fare, to a barebones website, the OPH harks back to diners of old.
    Greg Mellen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Contestants form bonds and make decisions about compatibility while chatting through a wall, eventually getting engaged before meeting face-to-face for the first time.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
  • There's a lot of laughing and chatting between us.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What on Earth was Gabriel rambling on about before, anyway?
    Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Roger Naylor shares 10 favorite Arizona destinations from his 50 years of rambling here.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The games themselves are embarrassing enough to watch.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • More recently, that type of direction has become outdated — in a way, even embarrassing to request.
    Blake Simons, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Vasilas attributes the brisk business to not having a lot of competition for the kind of service Ted’s Clothiers offers.
    Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Leisurely walking, especially for short distances, may not be enough to get the full potential benefit compared with walking longer distances at a brisker pace.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • Monster has debuted into this very fraught political moment where, despite no evidence showing a link between violence and transness, right-wingers have gone to great pains to paint almost every mass shooter who makes front page news as trans in hopes of stripping trans people of their rights.
    Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 7 Oct. 2025
  • In early 2024, support for Israel’s war was very high, if lower among Democrats.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rattling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattling. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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