chatter
Americanverb (used without object)
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chatters,
present (3rd person singular)
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chattered,
past participle, past
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chattering
present participle
-
to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber.
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to utter a succession of quick, inarticulate, speechlike sounds, as monkeys or certain birds.
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to make a rapid clicking noise by striking together.
His teeth were chattering from the cold.
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Machinery. (of a cutting tool or piece of metal) to vibrate during cutting so as to produce surface flaws on the work.
verb (used with object)
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chatters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
chattered,
past participle, past
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chattering
present participle
-
to utter rapidly or purposelessly.
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to cause to chatter, as the teeth from cold.
noun
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purposeless or foolish talk.
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a series of waves or ridges on the surface of a piece of metal that has been imperfectly drawn or extruded.
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the act or sound of chattering.
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online, phone, radio, or other electronic communication among people, often involving a harmful political activity such as espionage or terrorism.
Officials were able to intercept and identify a high level of terrorist chatter in the weeks before the bombing attempt.
verb
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to speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly; prattle
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(intr) (of birds, monkeys, etc) to make rapid repetitive high-pitched noises resembling human speech
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(intr) (of the teeth) to click together rapidly through cold or fear
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(intr) to make rapid intermittent contact with a component, as in machining, causing irregular cutting
noun
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idle or foolish talk; gossip
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the high-pitched repetitive noise made by a bird, monkey, etc
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the rattling of objects, such as parts of a machine
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Also called: chatter mark. the undulating pattern of marks in a machined surface from the vibration of the tool or workpiece
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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chattersimple
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chatterssimple
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have chatteredperfect
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has chatteredperfect
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am chatteringprogressive
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are chatteringprogressive
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is chatteringprogressive
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have been chatteringperfect progressive
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has been chatteringperfect progressive
Past
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chatteredsimple
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had chatteredperfect
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was chatteringprogressive
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were chatteringprogressive
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had been chatteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of chatter
1200–50; Middle English chateren; imitative
Explanation
To chatter is to talk lightly or casually — to shoot the breeze or chitchat. You might chatter with your workmates about the weather or where you'll eat lunch. You probably chatter with your friends all the time without even thinking about it, gossiping or talking about unimportant things. You can call the talk itself chatter too: "The chatter in the cafeteria was so loud I couldn't hear myself think." In the 13th century, it was chateren, from an imitative Middle English root.
Vocabulary lists containing chatter
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Spoiler alert: Xero’s share price began to rebound in late July, following a leadership change for the U.S. business and positive chatter about the company’s valuation, among other shifts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Brain activity became less pronounced in regions associated with internal mental chatter during meditation.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
As they did on “Good Day L.A.,” they consistently interrupt one another and the chatter careens from one topic to the next without a breath.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
But the online chatter has not been all light-hearted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
The hallway is quiet after the laughter and chatter of the cafeteria.
From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan
Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Eli Sabin won the Democratic nomination for the Connecticut state house of Representatives on Tuesday, following a hard-fought campaign.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026
"I had no one to talk to all day -- to the point my mouth almost felt stale from not speaking. But then this little one came along and chatters with me all the time."
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
A union representing such workers - known as "chatters" - told BBC News it was concerned about the "largely unregulated nature of this type of online work".
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
Bates chatters in almost every recap of the previous episode.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2024
I wait to ask for advice, while Angelina relates some new transgression of Durufle’s lazy steward and Isabel chatters about the icy weather.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Then gossips chattered that a huge “bear raid,” or manipulation of stocks by short sellers, would be launched the following morning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
Supporters dressed in pink – their candidate's favourite colour – chattered in anticipation of her arrival.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2025
We chattered nonstop, teased each other, and enjoyed learning and cooking together before sitting down to dinner with our host and her husband.
From Salon ● Feb. 22, 2025
Dozens of schoolmates chattered happily under the pines, kicking a soccer ball on sun-streaked grass, climbing a play structure and scarfing down pizza.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2025
Or my mom could just putt there at her usual, stately 31 miles per hour while Jeffrey and I bounced and chattered in the backseat like two bald monkeys on a sugar high.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
It was the topic du jour among the chattering class, with notable voices like the women of the “The View,” Chelsea Handler and a former “Real Housewife of Beverly Hills” weighing in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
Throughout this decimated-but-not-dead neighborhood, she heard hammers striking, trucks rumbling, construction workers chattering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
The home stands are almost entirely empty, the temperature has dropped, and teeth are chattering on the away terrace as Truro kick off.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2025
She fielded personal phone calls in the office, chattering away with friends who she said were about to visit New Zealand, drawing maps of Auckland for them.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025
Connor is still chattering about treasure, and Jack is trying to explain to him that we aren’t going to another beach.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
