Illustration of rattlesnake
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈra-tᵊl-ˌsnāk 
: any of several American pit vipers (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus) that have horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when shaken
Examples of rattlesnake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bailey Vanden Bossche's ankle after she was bitten by a rattlesnake.
—
Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
This year, the unusually warm weather in March, plant abundance and a healthy amount of prey were early signals to rattlesnakes to begin their activity.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The way the wildflowers bloomed along the North County hillside, the rush of the creek along the trail — and even my encounter with a rattlesnake — all made for a special hiking experience.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
In June, when the surface temperatures of the rock deep inside the abyss can claw toward 170 degrees — hot enough to kill a rattlesnake caught in the open in a few minutes — the Kaibab offers a cool reprieve.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rattlesnake
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.
Jasmine Viel, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
This year, the unusually warm weather in March, plant abundance and a healthy amount of prey were early signals to rattlesnakes to begin their activity.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The way the wildflowers bloomed along the North County hillside, the rush of the creek along the trail — and even my encounter with a rattlesnake — all made for a special hiking experience.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
In June, when the surface temperatures of the rock deep inside the abyss can claw toward 170 degrees — hot enough to kill a rattlesnake caught in the open in a few minutes — the Kaibab offers a cool reprieve.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rattlesnake
Cite this Entry
“Rattlesnake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rattlesnake. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of various poisonous American snakes with a rattle at the end of the tail
Medical Definition
rattlesnake
noun
rat·tle·snake
ˈrat-ᵊl-ˌsnāk
: any of the American pit vipers that have a series of horny interlocking joints at the end of the tail which make a sharp rattling sound when vibrated and that comprise the genera Sistrurus and Crotalus see diamondback rattlesnake, tiger rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
