as in rapid
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed
we drove off at a rattling pace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in extremely
to a great degree
a rattling good storyteller
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in chatting
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rambling
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in embarrassing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rattling
Gary Kamiya, SFChronicle.com, 2 Oct. 2020
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty Images A wave of layoffs is rattling corporate America.
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Minnesota set the tone for how this game would unfold in the first quarter, with a goal of rattling Goff and speeding up his internal clock.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.
—Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Two earthquakes struck off the Oregon coast on Tuesday, rattling communities along the Pacific Northwest shoreline.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
There was even a final machination aimed at rattling the Venezuelan president about the pilot’s true loyalties.
—Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
The main feature of the ShakeOut was the mobile earthquake simulator, where volunteers could take a seat inside the trailer and feel the jostling and rattling sensations that take place during a high-magnitude quake.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
And, that there was a goblin, squatting in my skull, rattling a metal pail full of bolts and hissing failure, rot, spoil.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
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
Wolf’s voice, a bone-rattling growl, is his greatest legacy.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Lauren Petracca | Bloomberg | Getty Images A wave of layoffs is rattling corporate America.
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Minnesota set the tone for how this game would unfold in the first quarter, with a goal of rattling Goff and speeding up his internal clock.
—Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
But any agreement reached will be just one touchstone in a thorny and volatile great power rivalry between the world’s superpower democracy and an authoritarian China, whose growing military assertiveness under Xi in the East and South China Seas is rattling US allies in the region.
—Betsy Klein, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Two earthquakes struck off the Oregon coast on Tuesday, rattling communities along the Pacific Northwest shoreline.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
There was even a final machination aimed at rattling the Venezuelan president about the pilot’s true loyalties.
—Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
The main feature of the ShakeOut was the mobile earthquake simulator, where volunteers could take a seat inside the trailer and feel the jostling and rattling sensations that take place during a high-magnitude quake.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 27 Oct. 2025
And, that there was a goblin, squatting in my skull, rattling a metal pail full of bolts and hissing failure, rot, spoil.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattling
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Since Berman took the helm in 2022, professional women’s soccer has seen rapid growth.—
Jessica Golden,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Nineteenth-century reporters could be extremely casual with facts and guessed at the spelling of names.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The annual phenomenon sees millions of crimson-red crustaceans clattering across roads from their forest dwellings to the island's shores to spawn their eggs.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
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There are up to 20,000 rabid people raining down their emotions from all angles, a dozen sticks clattering, two dozen skates carving, all those burly bodies bumping into each other and banging into the boards, plus an endless stream of screaming and grunting and cursing.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The two had spent hours chatting as Shamblin drank hard ciders on a remote Texas roadside.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Had the best time visiting Harvard Business School and chatting with some seriously brilliant minds!—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 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
-
Still, the former University of Miami standout did not want to be dealt, even publicly stating that just hours after the Dolphins’ embarrassing 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
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For French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, the heist spotlights embarrassing security failings at one of France’s most venerable institutions.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The company’s brisk activity shows no signs of slowing.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Trick-or-treaters can expect brisk but dry weather.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Many others were very angry about it.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
-
And Doughty, who turns 36 in December and is still the runaway leader in ice time for the Kings, continues to be viewed in a very positive light by Team Canada’s decision-makers.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rattling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattling. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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