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
Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
But others, where relentless, shelter-soaking rain is the aggressor, are no less vivid and terrifying, amplified by the rattling, percussive intensity of extraordinary sound design by Lena Esquenazi, Valeria Mancheva and Antonio Porem.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Other than visible dirt and dust, signs that your bathroom exhaust fan needs cleaning includes a rattling or buzzing sound, reduced airflow, or excess moisture along the walls.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025
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
Arkansas Online, 16 Mar. 2026
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Kay woke before dawn to the sound of rain rattling the windows.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
The war in Iran is rattling the aviation industry, from flight cancellations to rising costs for jet fuel.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
Maritime traffic through the Straight of Hormuz has all but collapsed, with crude oil prices surging past $100 a barrel on Monday, rattling wallets and the stock market.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Advertisement Volatility in energy markets is also rippling through financial markets and rattling investors.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
Then you are hit by another song, booming from a new performer and accompanied by the sound of his shopping cart rattling over the cobblestone street.
—Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Their play is a symphony of cheers and swishes, conversation and laughter, dribbling balls and rattling rims.
—Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 13 Mar. 2026
But others, where relentless, shelter-soaking rain is the aggressor, are no less vivid and terrifying, amplified by the rattling, percussive intensity of extraordinary sound design by Lena Esquenazi, Valeria Mancheva and Antonio Porem.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
Other than visible dirt and dust, signs that your bathroom exhaust fan needs cleaning includes a rattling or buzzing sound, reduced airflow, or excess moisture along the walls.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025
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
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.
—Arkansas Online, 16 Mar. 2026
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.
—Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Kay woke before dawn to the sound of rain rattling the windows.
—Charlotte Brooks, Big Think, 13 Mar. 2026
The war in Iran is rattling the aviation industry, from flight cancellations to rising costs for jet fuel.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
Maritime traffic through the Straight of Hormuz has all but collapsed, with crude oil prices surging past $100 a barrel on Monday, rattling wallets and the stock market.
—Frederik Pleitgen, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Advertisement Volatility in energy markets is also rippling through financial markets and rattling investors.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
Then you are hit by another song, booming from a new performer and accompanied by the sound of his shopping cart rattling over the cobblestone street.
—Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattling
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Provinces such as Anhui, Zhejiang, and Shandong are establishing robot training centers in rapid succession to accelerate the commercialization of emerging robotics technologies.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Now the molecule was DMT, which causes an extremely intense but relatively short trip.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The researchers also say the laser could benefit industries that depend on nanoelectronics, including semiconductor manufacturing, by helping engineers detect extremely small defects in chips.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When the controversy happened, Kelly was already on a yellow card, having been cautioned earlier in the game for clattering into Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
27 Feb. 2026
-
His father was a wheeler-dealer who lived by quick wits and the sweat of his brow, dabbling in bootlegged sake, swine farming, loan sharking, and later pachinko parlors—Japan’s ubiquitous low-stakes gambling game of clattering steel ball bearings.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From the moment the house doors open, right up until the show officially begins, Radcliffe stalks the aisles of the theater — chatting with attendees and handing out assignments.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The time spent toiling on grunt work like emails increased by 104%, while chatting and messaging climbed by 145%, and using business management tools rose 94%.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This rambling 1,200-acre Southern California ranch has both and much more, plus a supremely private and scenic locale on the outskirts of the historic community of San Juan Capistrano.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
10 Mar. 2026
-
In addition to the lake, there are 26 miles of trails for rambling at Hot Springs National Park as well as a number of hiking paths leading into and out of downtown.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
These are embarrassing own goals that Republicans simply can’t afford.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Fairchild played the free-wheeling bon vivant Nora Tyler Bing on five episodes of the sitcom classic, unwittingly embarrassing Perry's Chandler Bing to the delight of his pals.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Ian Cheney’s brisk but sprawling doc interrogates the origins of the dish, who invented it, how it got popularized, and the eponymous 19th-century military leader who may (or may not) have inspired it.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
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And then, to step off the train after two days into a brisk Chicago afternoon, 2,265 miles from home, having never left the ground?—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
What is more concerning is that the KC-135 is now very old (first built in the late 1950s) and is in dire need of retirement or upgrade.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Leaderboards were filled with circles and squares with very few pars in between.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rattling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattling. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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