Definition of tintinnabulationnext
as in rattle
a series of short high ringing sounds the merry tintinnabulation of church bells

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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 tintinnabulation Cloudy chords, meditative tintinnabulation, the whoosh of wind and rain, blocks of iridescent brass — all these discrete sonorities trundled by, like a train of boxcars with panoramas painted on their sides. Justin Davidson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025 Shivaree, chthonian, erumpent, tintinnabulation, exonumia, requiescat, deipnosophist, omphaloskepsis, horripilation, deliquesce, apopemptic. Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2021 Two dozen billiard balls roll on tracks, striking a series of devices that set off a tintinnabulation of bells, chimes and metallic clinks. Washington Post, 1 Aug. 2021 Though this installation of tintinnabulation has been a feature of the garden for more than a decade, some frequent visitors only noticed the chimes this summer, when a small crew recently installed them in a large linden tree adjacent to Parade Stadium. Kim Hyatt, Star Tribune, 23 July 2021 The delicate tintinnabulation of Adasiewicz’s vibes dovetailed with Reed’s telegraphic drum work, Reid’s amber cellos lines, Johnson’s silvery trumpet phrases and Heinemann’s warmly resonant bass. Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 27 Sep. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tintinnabulation
Noun
  • 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
Noun
  • People look up at it, then go back to their meals and conversations, as if momentarily distracted by the clitter-clatter of an errant fork.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
  • Saws buzz, trucks beep, and hammers clatter.
    Aarne Heikkila, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Periodically a mandolin tinkles, or maybe a fiddle swoops in as if from a low-hanging cloud.
    Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026
  • Roberts doesn’t offer much empathy for the poor, diseased critter other than a pause when Ben momentarily ponders his reflection in a pool as Adrian Johnston’s eerie synth-piano score tinkles.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Well, in honor of teaming up with Lizzo to reimagine and bring back the iconic Baby Back Ribs jingle, Chili’s has also updated the fan-favorite menu item for modern times.
    Molly Burford, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
  • The jingle has staying power — much to the delight of prolific thriller author James Patterson, who helped write the lyrics in his early career in advertising.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tintinnabulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tintinnabulation. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.

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