as in handful
a small number
we received only a smatter of complaints about the book
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as in to patter
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Recent Examples of smatter
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 6 Oct. 2022
Outside a car wash where two people died, a smatter of small bloodstains can still be seen on the white exterior wall.
—Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2019
The apartment is immaculate—done up in charcoal and silver, with gilded accents and a tasteful smatter of lucite.
—Mattie Kahn, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2018
Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2023
Glover’s patchwork ethos is smattered across its seven installments.
—WIRED, 17 Mar. 2023
Lee is also now taking a smattering reps at first base as expected entering the spring.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 17 Mar. 2023
The movie is smattered with deep focus cinematography, led by the director of photography Jomo Fray.
—Omar Sanchez, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2020
During the class, remember to look out at the trees, to the sculptures smattered throughout, to the family of deer that will surely be grazing ahead.
—Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2018
There are eight venues smattered across the small, green city: pre-war Art Nouveau buildings, relics of Soviet modernism, the train station at seaside resort town Jurmala.
—Laura Bannister, Vogue, 17 June 2018
Who’s listening At UCF’s rehearsal hall, the crowd of 50 or so is smattered throughout the seats watching the New Music Ensemble perform pieces written by students.
—Trevor Fraser, OrlandoSentinel.com, 27 Apr. 2018
Groping blindly, European and especially British explorers began trying to map this seascape beginning in the late 1500s – leading to a series of small advances, smattered with setbacks and tragedies, over centuries.
—Chris Mooney, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Dec. 2017
Noun
As part of the show, the Design Museum invited artists to create new clock faces; there is also a smatter of Chicago clock history, and recently included, remarkably, the original wooden hands from the Wrigley Building’s clock face, located by Samuelson on eBay.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 6 Oct. 2022
Outside a car wash where two people died, a smatter of small bloodstains can still be seen on the white exterior wall.
—Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2019
The apartment is immaculate—done up in charcoal and silver, with gilded accents and a tasteful smatter of lucite.
—Mattie Kahn, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2018
Verb
Another version is dotted with oily little pepperoni cups and smattered with hot honey: simple and satisfying.
—Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2023
Glover’s patchwork ethos is smattered across its seven installments.
—WIRED, 17 Mar. 2023
Lee is also now taking a smattering reps at first base as expected entering the spring.
—Michael Shapiro, Chron, 17 Mar. 2023
The movie is smattered with deep focus cinematography, led by the director of photography Jomo Fray.
—Omar Sanchez, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2020
During the class, remember to look out at the trees, to the sculptures smattered throughout, to the family of deer that will surely be grazing ahead.
—Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2018
There are eight venues smattered across the small, green city: pre-war Art Nouveau buildings, relics of Soviet modernism, the train station at seaside resort town Jurmala.
—Laura Bannister, Vogue, 17 June 2018
Who’s listening At UCF’s rehearsal hall, the crowd of 50 or so is smattered throughout the seats watching the New Music Ensemble perform pieces written by students.
—Trevor Fraser, OrlandoSentinel.com, 27 Apr. 2018
Groping blindly, European and especially British explorers began trying to map this seascape beginning in the late 1500s – leading to a series of small advances, smattered with setbacks and tragedies, over centuries.
—Chris Mooney, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Dec. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smatter
Noun
-
These international hubs did not exist before the 1990s, when most manufacturing was concentrated in a handful of countries.—
JAVIER CORRALES,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
-
However, unlike the 2017 overhaul, House Republicans and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) only have a small majority to work with, meaning only a handful of votes can be lost.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
For a moment, the only sound was the rain pattering as night neared.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Details like water overflowing from the bathtub, rain pattering on a window, a phone ringing and a piano playing contributed to the realism of the experience.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While couples today don’t need to adhere to every tradition when planning their wedding events, a bridal shower has a few etiquette protocols that many follow when arranging the party or attending as a guest.—
Shelby Wax,
Vogue,
17 Apr. 2025
-
The court found that the couple was indeed in violation of the HOA’s legally binding rules and therefore was required to pay the fines.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In other words, to blather on about how unremarkable iPhone 16 is compared to the one immediately preceding it completely misses the forest for the trees.—
Steven Aquino,
Forbes,
3 Oct. 2024
-
In other words, to blather on about how unremarkable iPhone 16 is compared to the one immediately preceding it completely misses the forest for the trees.—
Steven Aquino,
Forbes,
3 Oct. 2024
Verb
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But when the disheveled, withdrawn ex-friend shows up in the locker room gibbering about an evil spirit, Sam is mortified, impulsively knocking to the ground the grungy-looking Mason jar that Tamira has been carrying around.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
18 Sep. 2023
-
For a while, police interest bent toward a Phud who had been warned he might be eliminated from the program, who had seemed almost exultant about the fire and gibbered gleefully about the media spotlight.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2018
Verb
-
Nevertheless, the animals’ recurring presence throughout the season visualizes the chattering, anxious feeling that governs the existential turmoil endured by many of the souls haunting the Thai White Lotus resort.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
-
As Melissa chatters away about her dreams, Shauna’s mind wanders.—
Esther Zuckerman,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Then Elliott bashes the bleating thing’s brains in.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The pasture behind the barn is a blur of adolescent goats bleating, bolting, and knocking one another down.—
Scott Clark as told to Betsy Andrews,
Saveur,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
While former players trolling their rivals has become an annual ritual of the NFL Draft, a message (real or fake) from the president is not.—
Alex Andrejev,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Outside of his work at the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk has devoted a surprising amount of time to trolling the country.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smatter. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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