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.
The weeks-long hospitalization of Mitch McConnell, the former Republican leader in the US Senate, was rattling his party's narrow majority on Tuesday as members awaited word on whether he would return.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
A good biscuit seems to become more itself after rattling around in a basket for a while.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
The drama, the music, the pow-pow-pow of those 6-inch guns and those gallant—yes, “most beautiful”—ships rattling amid the waves.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Strategy’s stock slid Monday after the company disclosed a rare bitcoin sale, rattling investors who have long treated the company as a one-way bet on the cryptocurrency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
Max had to tilt his head to the side to avoid rattling the hangers against the rod.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
