rattles 1 of 2

noun

plural of rattle
as in noises
loud, confused, and usually inharmonious sound I'd go nuts if I had to endure the rattle of that bottling plant every day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rattles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rattle
1
as in clatters
to make a series of short sharp noises the children tromped through the kitchen, making the plates on the shelf rattle

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2
as in chats
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

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3
as in rambles
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

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4
as in embarrasses
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rattles
Noun
The snakes can, however, lose their rattles or simply decide not to use them. — Don Sweeney april 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Silver engraving, masks, totem poles, rattles, prints. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025 Jigs with rattles are most productive and a big, active trailer is the way to go in muddy water. — David A. Brown, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026 If your current carry-on rattles, tips, or barely survives a weekend away, consider this your sign. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2026 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 Most people initially become aware of the reptiles by hearing their rattles, which the snakes use to try to scare off aggressors or to distract prey. — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 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 Cunningham’s Fisher-Price pianos and decrepit drums are unmistakable, as is Ciani’s Buchla, which whooshes and rattles like a steam engine barreling down the tracks. — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Fans will have to tune in next week to find out Andrea's fate — and see if her abduction rattles Kayce. — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026 The threat rattles Reef and prompts him to apologize to all the major figures from his past whom he's offended or hurt over the years. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Apr. 2026 The film rattles enough skeletons, both on screen and in the audience, to ensure that Cronin’s name will be remembered by genre heads with or without the titular reminder. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026 Emma’s shocking admission rattles the entire wedding party, particularly Haim’s Rachel, whose cousin was left paralyzed by an act of gun violence. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026 Israeli military warning rattles coastal city Israeli strikes over southern Lebanon continued, especially in and around the battered cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. — Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 His comments come as consumer sentiment in the US continued to decline this month, hitting a record low as the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz rattles global energy markets. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where Paige Spiranac gears up for the PGA Championship with her mom and rattles America's cage. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026 As Silicon Valley’s artificial intelligence boom powers America’s economy, rattles its job market, and shapes its national security priorities, political leaders are struggling for traction on how the government should seek to engage the technology, if at all. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattles
  1. noises
  2. clatters
  3. chats
  4. rambles
  5. embarrasses
  6. roars
  7. talks
  8. wanders
Noun
  • Karissa Waddick Some veterans who experience post-traumatic stress related to loud noises are finding relief this year.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Owners should desensitize pets to loud noises by playing firework sounds with positive reinforcement.
    — Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of noises
Verb
  • Then, a mannequin clatters to the floor from the ceiling and breaks apart.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
  • Deacon clatters off in his truck, leaving me to contemplate my new home.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of clatters
Verb
  • While Yahia chats with The Star, his daughter, Hannah, takes a tray of baklava out of the oven.
    — Jenna Thompson June 24, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
  • Inside the motel, Paula chats with Sky.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 June 2026
Definition of chats
Verb
  • Look for wildflowers and endemic fauna on the Tomales Point Trail, which rambles for nearly 10 miles on this special, skinny peninsula, delivering gorgeous, foggy views of the Pacific Ocean.
    — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2026
  • Kachina rambles for 5 miles but the most vibrant color is found on the first half of the hike.
    — Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of rambles
Verb
  • Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of embarrasses
Noun
  • Johnson’s first budget made the CARE pilot permanent and doubled staff positions in 2024, to roars of approval from his progressive base.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
  • The cheers and the roars reverberated around NRG Stadium.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of roars
Verb
  • Instead, the guy talks to dead barkeeps and wields an ax more than his typewriter.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Albert Saijo, second semester editor of Echoes, Heart Mountain high school publication, talks things over with Hisako Takehara and Alice Tanouye, first semester co-editors.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 June 2026
Definition of talks
Verb
  • The silent protagonist is as mysterious as the movie that wanders along the cinematic edge between the physical and the spiritual worlds.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 July 2026
  • Jet Wine Bar, Philadelphia Sparkling Spanish whites, earthy Georgian oranges, bright Chilean reds — Jet Wine Bar wanders wide for its exciting by-the-glass wine list.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 30 June 2026
Definition of wanders

Browse Nearby Words

rattled
rattles
rattlesnake
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Cite this Entry

“Rattles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattles. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rattles

Nglish: Translation of rattles for Spanish Speakers

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