as in handful
a small number
a smattering of guests at the art exhibit
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Recent Examples of smattering
Amy Brightfield, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2025
His grand entrance was met with a smattering of applause from the 191 boys and girls divided up by age group, 6-16, all wearing their No. 11 Alex Karaban Camp T-shirts.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2025
Otherwise, Interstate 5 would be splitting Malibu South with a smattering of 30-story resorts just east of the freeway.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The fake stained glass doors of the synagogue reopen, letting in a fog of smoke and a smattering of purple, quasi-bisexual light.
—Leah Abrams, Them., 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Noun
With the shift to more energy-efficient appliances, manufacturers have removed the heated drying cycle in dishwashers—which means that your kitchenware may end up wet or with a smattering of droplets once the cycle is done.
—Amy Brightfield, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2025
His grand entrance was met with a smattering of applause from the 191 boys and girls divided up by age group, 6-16, all wearing their No. 11 Alex Karaban Camp T-shirts.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2025
Otherwise, Interstate 5 would be splitting Malibu South with a smattering of 30-story resorts just east of the freeway.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
The fake stained glass doors of the synagogue reopen, letting in a fog of smoke and a smattering of purple, quasi-bisexual light.
—Leah Abrams, Them., 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smattering
Noun
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There is still a handful of those in operation in Hong Kong and Japan.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
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Horses aren’t unaccustomed to starting gates, but Derby horses are only 3 years old; many have only raced a handful of times.—
Dana O'Neil,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Noun
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Friends of Big Bear Valley, a non-profit organization that runs a 24-hour live feed to monitor local eagles, has given the world the ability to watch beloved eagle couple Jackie and Shadow raise their young in real time.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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The couple got married on March 23, 1985, in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But if the reform process lags and if Bangladesh's sputtering economy doesn't improve, the public's patience could start to wear thin for an administration that for now enjoys ample support.—
Michael Kugelman,
NPR,
21 Dec. 2024
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Those reports have unnerved British officials, who fear the tariffs could throttle the country’s already sputtering economic growth.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
20 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smattering. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
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