prattle

American  

[prat-l] / ˈpræt l /

verb (used without object)

• prattles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prattled,
  past participle,  past
• prattling
  present participle

1. to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble.

   Synonyms:

   blab, gabble, jabber, gab

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verb (used with object)

• prattles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• prattled,
  past participle,  past
• prattling
  present participle

1. to utter by chattering or babbling.

noun

1. the act of prattling.

2. chatter; babble.

   the prattle of children.

3. a babbling sound.

   the prattle of water rushing over stones.

prattle British  

/ ˈprætəl /

verb

1. (intr) to talk in a foolish or childish way; babble

2. (tr) to utter in a foolish or childish way

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noun

1. foolish or childish talk

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prattler
  noun
• prattlingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• prattling
  present
• prattled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• prattle
  simple
• prattles
  simple
• have prattled
  perfect
• has prattled
  perfect
• am prattling
  progressive
• are prattling
  progressive
• is prattling
  progressive
• have been prattling
  perfect progressive
• has been prattling
  perfect progressive

Past

• prattled
  simple
• had prattled
  perfect
• was prattling
  progressive
• were prattling
  progressive
• had been prattling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will prattle
  simple
• will have prattled
  perfect
• will be prattling
  progressive
• will have been prattling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of prattle

1525–35; < Middle Low German pratelen to chatter, frequentative of praten to prate; see -le

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Explanation

To prattle is to go on and on about something unimportant. Some people don't like your constant prattling about your collection of Lego figurines — but you're convinced it's the most fascinating topic on the planet! Prattle can also be a noun. If your little sister won't leave you and your friends alone, you might complain to your parents about her constant prattle. And the constant prattle of the person in the next seat might make it difficult for you to nap on that long airplane trip. There are a lot of funny-sounding words with a meaning similar to prattle: chatter, blether, blather, jabber, gabble, blabber, and babble, to name a few.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prattle prattles prattled prattling

Mr. Friedman’s book is full of technocorporate prattle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

I can’t think of many, but if you ask any “SNL” diehard — even just a regular viewer — about Michaels, they’ll likely prattle off some fun facts to you.

From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026

Sick, awesome, amazing, I continued to prattle on.

From Slate ● Jun. 22, 2025

I find a similar kind of nonsensical prattle in various corners of our Blue Seattle.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2024

Her constant prattle had given way to a dreamier state.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

I think often about his 2014 appearance on “WTF with Marc Maron” because you can hear Maron’s frustration at Mulaney’s composure build while he prattles charmingly on.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 26, 2023

Sasha prattles through an interior monologue of such unrelenting vitriol about himself, his art and the world around him that he seems hollowed out, a black hole masquerading as a person.

From New York Times ● Jan. 29, 2021

Rachel, who narrates the novel, prattles on about her love life, her parents, and the cartoonishly loud suits of her journalist boss.

From Slate ● Nov. 6, 2020

As he spirals downward, he prattles on about the impossibility of fidelity in marriage, the power struggle between men and women — more echoes of Mamet, but without his misogyny.

From Time ● Nov. 5, 2013

At three years of age, he prattles like my father did, but I attend to every lisping word he speaks.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

"With Obama, we won an election that everyone said couldn't be won," he prattled on in a speech in Washington, D.C. last week.

From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2023

Ever since a tiny Jonathan Lipnicki prattled on about the weight of the human head in “Jerry Maguire,” a parade of overzealous kid prodigies have appeared on-screen and quickly worn out their welcomes.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 18, 2018

My mother cooked and prattled, my grandfather was severe but kindly, the farm prospered.

From New York Times ● Sep. 6, 2017

Had he known what attracted her to him initially, what propelled her to listen so patiently as he prattled on about his experiments and his home laboratory, he would have been mortified.

From The New Yorker ● Jan. 15, 2016

When Gay drove me home that evening, she prattled on about some girls my age in the neighborhood.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

He’s been prattling on about Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” and sharing Facebook nonsense about centurions ever since.

From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025

I used my prattling pate and said, “You’re beautiful.”

From The Verge ● Apr. 14, 2022

A natural modesty prevents him from prattling on about himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2021

But I am glad I got to hear this king — and queens and dukes — pronouncing and prattling in my ear, regaling me in the comfort of my home.

From New York Times ● Jul. 17, 2020

The drooling was a habit Penelope was slowing training him out of; for now she was relieved Lady Constance seemed not to notice, as she was still prattling away.

From "The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose Wood

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