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
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
Brian Jones, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Roughly one week later, Johnson reportedly heard the metal cage rattling from inside his home but later realized that the wrong bear had been captured.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Salter remains wistful about the family Honus Wagner card currently rattling the world of collectibles.
—Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
In January, the release of Chinese model DeepSeek-R1 as an open-weight model disrupted assumptions about who could build high-performing large language models, briefly rattling markets and intensifying global competition.
—Thomas Şerban Von Davier, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Long before that, Payton arrived in the NFC South to a New Orleans club that didn’t have much going and immediately started rattling the cages of division rivals, particularly Atlanta.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Communities form, united by the sound of bricks rattling in a box.
—Leigh Kiniry, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Now, San Antonio is being pushed to make a massive, league-rattling new deal for a superstar this season.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Wolf’s voice, a bone-rattling growl, is his greatest legacy.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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
Look past the saber rattling and campaign rhetoric.
—Brian Jones, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Roughly one week later, Johnson reportedly heard the metal cage rattling from inside his home but later realized that the wrong bear had been captured.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, Salter remains wistful about the family Honus Wagner card currently rattling the world of collectibles.
—Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
In January, the release of Chinese model DeepSeek-R1 as an open-weight model disrupted assumptions about who could build high-performing large language models, briefly rattling markets and intensifying global competition.
—Thomas Şerban Von Davier, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025
Long before that, Payton arrived in the NFC South to a New Orleans club that didn’t have much going and immediately started rattling the cages of division rivals, particularly Atlanta.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Communities form, united by the sound of bricks rattling in a box.
—Leigh Kiniry, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Now, San Antonio is being pushed to make a massive, league-rattling new deal for a superstar this season.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Wolf’s voice, a bone-rattling growl, is his greatest legacy.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Nov. 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
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People talk over music, clattering plates, and dozens of overlapping conversations in crowded rooms.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Dec. 2025
-
The individual pieces can be heard clattering against each step while Chip looks on proudly.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
-
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
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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
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The senior administration official said the transfer would happen quickly because Venezuela’s crude is very heavy, which means it can’t be stored for long.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
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Pipes and sewers can be very dangerous for pets and wildlife and Roto-Rooter, with specialized equipment and personnel, has become a go-to call to save cats, dogs, turtles and more.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rattling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattling. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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