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.
“Hussain, we’re going to work with you and make sure everything goes smoothly,” Trump said onstage, after rattling off states where Damac would build.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
“That Steve Hilton doesn’t see me on Fox News is his problem, not mine. I am gonna talk to voters,” Becerra said, rattling off a list of his recent campaign events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 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
Thousands of people marched through the streets of Madrid rattling keys and blowing whistles to call for measures to curb rising housing costs and make evictions more difficult.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
While Ellidyr followed, the gwythaints swooped downward, the wind rattling in their flashing feathers.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
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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.
