smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsma-tə-riŋ 
1
: superficial piecemeal knowledge
a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying—
Alva Johnston
Alva Johnston2
: a small scattered number or amount
a smattering of spectators
Examples of smattering in a Sentence
She only knows a smattering of German.
a smattering of guests at the art exhibit
Recent Examples on the Web
Nearly six decades ago, Peralta Park was home to a community amusement park with circus-like attractions, but on Wednesday there were few strollers around and only a smattering of tents on the footpath above the channel.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
But unlike many painting shows at MoMA, those works—mostly paintings, along with a smattering of sculptures and some prints—don’t just hang there, inert.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Mar. 2025
The evening before the funeral, a smattering of fans somberly lined up to pay their respects to Voletta during a viewing that was open to the public.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
But the broader message — carried mostly by Mexicans, but also by a smattering of Poles, Irish and Chinese — was that immigrants are too integral and large a part of Chicago to be ignored.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
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Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025
But unlike many painting shows at MoMA, those works—mostly paintings, along with a smattering of sculptures and some prints—don’t just hang there, inert.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Mar. 2025
The evening before the funeral, a smattering of fans somberly lined up to pay their respects to Voletta during a viewing that was open to the public.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2025
But the broader message — carried mostly by Mexicans, but also by a smattering of Poles, Irish and Chinese — was that immigrants are too integral and large a part of Chicago to be ignored.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsmat-ə-riŋ
1
: a small amount of knowledge
a smattering of French
2
: a small scattered number
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