chattered; chattering; chatters
1
: to utter rapid short sounds suggestive of language but inarticulate and indistinct
squirrels chattered angrily
2
: to talk idly, incessantly, or fast
3
a
: to click repeatedly or uncontrollably
teeth chattering with cold
b
: to vibrate rapidly in cutting
a chattering tool
c
: to vibrate especially audibly as a consequence of repeated sticking and slipping
chattering brakes
: to utter rapidly, idly, or indistinctly
chatterer
noun
1
: the action or sound of chattering
2
: idle talk : prattle
3
: electronic and especially radio communication between individuals engaged in a common or related form of activity
also
: such chatter regarding future hostile activities
4
: a person who participates in online chat
Excite, Inc. … reports that users log a total of 7.5 to 8 million chat minutes on an average day. Half of online chatters are aged 18 to 34, and 15 percent are under age 17.—
Rebecca Piirto Heath
Rebecca Piirto HeathExamples of chatter in a Sentence
Verb
Children chattered in the middle of the playground.
My teeth were chattering from the cold.
Birds chattered in the trees.
Noun
heard the chatter of squirrels
pleasant chatter over morning coffee
Recent Examples on the Web
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The chattering motion involved the lower beak snapping about 12 times per second.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
George Caulkin, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Suddenly, though, there is a confluence of intriguing points: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that, if the chatter is to be believed, will see resistance in the Senate but that resistance will be about some combination of spending cuts and tax increases.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chatter
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Verb
That’s all Joe can think about, even while Henry’s chattering about his sessions with therapist George, and especially while Kate’s giving him the cold shoulder.
—Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
The chattering motion involved the lower beak snapping about 12 times per second.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2025
Noun
On December 7, after a 4-2 defeat at Brentford, Newcastle were 12th in the table and, externally, there was chatter about Eddie Howe’s position.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Suddenly, though, there is a confluence of intriguing points: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that, if the chatter is to be believed, will see resistance in the Senate but that resistance will be about some combination of spending cuts and tax increases.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for chatter
Cite this Entry
“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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