rattling
Americanadjective
-
that rattles.
a rattling door.
-
remarkably good, lively, or fast.
a rattling talk; a rattling gallop.
adverb
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rattling
Explanation
A rattling is a quick, often unsteady, burst of sounds. The sound of a rattlesnake is a good example of a rattling. You know how a baby rattle sounds? That kind of quick collection of sounds can be called a rattling. A rattling is disjointed and fast. Some machines — like a car engine — make a rattling sound when they're broken. The rattling of a rattlesnake’s tail is a sign you could be in serious danger from this venomous snake. Sometimes a doctor will hear a rattling in the lungs that indicates a respiratory illness. A rattling can also be called a rattle.
Vocabulary lists containing rattling
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
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Muffled
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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.
We’re witnessing the power of pure art, even as Rock cleverly waters down the moment with the sound of an unseen bartender rattling a martini shaker in the background.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Then you'd hear the packet rattling just as the manager was trying to deliver a team talk - or was about to give a player a dressing down.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
Somewhere very early, I learned that rattling meant somebody was awake.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
Power over housing development that was long in the hands of city halls has gradually shifted toward the state capitol, rattling some locals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
An earthquake that rates a 5 on the scale is strong enough to be felt by everyone, rattling dishes and waking sleepers in their beds.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
