to give out or cause a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as in consequence of agitation and repeated concussions.
The windows rattled in their frames.
to move or go, especially rapidly, with such sounds.
The car rattled along the highway.
to talk rapidly; chatter.
He rattled on for an hour about his ailments.
to cause to rattle.
He rattled the doorknob violently.
to drive, send, bring, etc., especially rapidly, with rattling sounds.
The wind rattled the metal can across the roadway.
to utter or perform in a rapid or lively manner.
to rattle off a list of complaints.
to disconcert or confuse (a person).
A sudden noise rattled the speaker.
Hunting. to stir up (a cover).
a rapid succession of short, sharp sounds, as from the collision of hard bodies.
an instrument contrived to make a rattling sound, especially a baby's toy filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken.
the series of horny, interlocking elements at the end of the tail of a rattlesnake, with which it produces a rattling sound.
a rattling sound in the throat, as the death rattle.
to make or cause to make a rapid succession of short sharp sounds, as of loose pellets colliding when shaken in a container
to shake or cause to shake with such a sound
the explosion rattled the windows
to send, move, drive, etc, with such a sound
the car rattled along the country road
to chatter idly; talk, esp at length
he rattled on about his work
(tr; foll by off, out etc) to recite perfunctorily or rapidly
informal (tr) to disconcert; make frightened or anxious
a rapid succession of short sharp sounds
an object, esp a baby's toy, filled with small pellets that rattle when shaken
a series of loosely connected horny segments on the tail of a rattlesnake, vibrated to produce a rattling sound
any of various European scrophulariaceous plants having a capsule in which the seeds rattle, such as Pedicularis palustris ( red rattle ) and Rhinanthus minor ( yellow rattle )
idle chatter
an idle chatterer
med another name for rale
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb rat(t)elen, ratlen, cognate with Dutch ratelen, German rasseln ); of imitative origin
First recorded in 1720–30; back formation from ratling ratline (taken as verbal noun)
To rattle is to make a very rapid, short series of knocking or tapping sounds. You might impatiently rattle the quarters in your pocket as you await your turn at the pinball machine. Ice cubes rattle in your glass of lemonade, and beads rattle in a jar. Something else that rattles is a baby's rattle, a noisy toy that's filled with small balls or pellets. Figuratively, to rattle someone is to upset or irritate them, like the way a sudden thunderstorm might rattle your timid poodle. Experts trace this word back to the Middle Dutch ratelen, which they believe to be imitative since it sounds a bit like a rattle.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And while risks of “renewed flare-ups” and headlines that could rattle investors, those dips should still be bought.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
Aftershocks continued to rattle the country into Sunday morning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
That sell-off in South Korea could further rattle U.S. tech stocks, as investors worry that the AI rally may be due for a “breather,” writes José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026
“It’s hard not to see this as, like, the final death rattle of an era.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
I heard the distant rattle of wheels on rails, felt the air rush past, and then there was silence.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
This performance was under the guiding baton of Sir Simon Rattle, with whom Brendel shared a longstanding, prodigious musical partnership.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2025
Adams was just back in town after the London premiere of his latest wild and wildly engaging symphonic score, “Frenzy,” conducted by Simon Rattle with the London Symphony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2024
Few productions have been as cataclysmic as Oliver Putnam’s “Death Rattle Dazzle,” a misbegotten gothic about murderous infants, re-conceived as a glittery musical.
From New York Times ● Oct. 3, 2023
Howard may not have much dialogue compared to the "Death Rattle Dazzle" cast, but he's always standing close to the action or stoically enduring Oliver's swipes.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2023
Then came the voice once again, soft and spooky this time, "Rattle my bones," it said.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
A whistle sounds in the distance, and the ground rattles as the train comes into view, plumes of steam billowing out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Graham's death comes as the weeks-long hospitalization of former Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell rattles the party.
From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026
His alarm clock, a big and bulky machine that’s Bluetooth-connected to the house’s fire alarm, rattles his room until he finally shuts it off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Oil, gas, fertiliser and gold imports are pushing up demand for dollars just as foreign investment inflows weaken, exports slow down and geopolitical uncertainty rattles markets.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
The tray of nuts rattles, and even I’m startled by my own volume.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Armed with ferocious intent and a forward line ravenous for turnover ball, Mayo rattled Kerry during a period when they clawed back from seven points down to revive their hopes.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
For several months now, stocks linked to the sector have been regularly rattled by such fears.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The workers, deeply rattled but physically unharmed, have been returned to their families.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Declines for software companies like Workday, Adobe and ServiceNow were less pronounced Tuesday than IBM’s selloff, but the idea that AI spending is crowding out other parts of companies’ tech budgets rattled software stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The door rattled again, and the broom splintered.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
A good biscuit seems to become more itself after rattling around in a basket for a while.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
The drama, the music, the pow-pow-pow of those 6-inch guns and those gallant—yes, “most beautiful”—ships rattling amid the waves.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
What about Novak Djokovic, that wily old goat rattling around the bracket, 24 majors to his name?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
The air conditioner was rattling, and teacher G.C.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
The winds died, the waves calmed, and every iron monster—from brand fly to bossling—let out a harsh, rattling cry and charged toward Nyame’s palace.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
