rattle around
phrasal verb
rattled around; rattling around; rattles around
informal
: to live or spend time in a place that is very big
Her husband died last year, and now she's just rattling around in that huge house by herself.
We rattled around Europe last summer.
—sometimes used figurativelyAn old song has been rattling around in my head all day.
Examples of rattle around in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As outré as Camel Lights gets, the presence of such treasured guests and ideas apparently rattling around Geologist’s brain for 28 years conveys the sense that this is a genuinely personal work—not a one-off novelty.
—
Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
This question has rattled around in thousands of runners’ brains throughout January, due to an eccentric athletic competition.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
What sets this bag apart is the interior mesh zippered pocket that can keep your keys or cards from rattling around inside all day, as well as its handles, which are made with a durable fabric rather than faux leather.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 30 Jan. 2026
There's really nothing pretty about a boxy hunk of aluminum jutting out of a pickup bed or rattling around behind the main vehicle.
—New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026
While the trader's identity remains a mystery, speculation continues to rattle around the internet about whether the person had insider information.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 17 Jan. 2026
This is the age-old predicament that rattles around my brain during the holidays.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025
After some good pressure created by a Nikita Zadorov rush, the puck was rattling around the slot and Fraser Minten was able to direct it to Tanner Jeannot in the right circle.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
This machine is also virtually silent to operate—many of its stovetop competitors involve teetering pressure gauges that rattle around on top of the machine, or emit loud whistles of steam throughout the cooking process.
—Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
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Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026
This question has rattled around in thousands of runners’ brains throughout January, due to an eccentric athletic competition.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
What sets this bag apart is the interior mesh zippered pocket that can keep your keys or cards from rattling around inside all day, as well as its handles, which are made with a durable fabric rather than faux leather.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 30 Jan. 2026
There's really nothing pretty about a boxy hunk of aluminum jutting out of a pickup bed or rattling around behind the main vehicle.
—New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026
While the trader's identity remains a mystery, speculation continues to rattle around the internet about whether the person had insider information.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 17 Jan. 2026
This is the age-old predicament that rattles around my brain during the holidays.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025
After some good pressure created by a Nikita Zadorov rush, the puck was rattling around the slot and Fraser Minten was able to direct it to Tanner Jeannot in the right circle.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
This machine is also virtually silent to operate—many of its stovetop competitors involve teetering pressure gauges that rattle around on top of the machine, or emit loud whistles of steam throughout the cooking process.
—Emily Johnson, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rattle around.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattle%20around. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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