Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

rat-a-tat-tat

British  
/ ˈrætəˈtæt, ˈrætəˌtætˈtæt /

noun

  1. the sound of knocking on a door

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Mulaney’s rat-a-tat-tat delivery demanded you keep up with his thought process.

From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2023

She held the spin for so long you could hear the rat-a-tat-tat of the photographers cameras.

From Washington Post • Feb. 5, 2022

After a brief chat and a few moments of focused rat-a-tat-tat, they leave with a piece of personalized art.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 8, 2021

Crosby and Hope reportedly ad-libbed much of the rat-a-tat-tat banter, and the lovely Lamour makes the most of her catch-all “exotic woman” roles.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2018

“No,” Vonetta said, cutting off our rat-a-tat-tat flow before we could get it going.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "rat-a-tat-tat" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com