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 HeathSynonyms
Examples 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 WebSally Rooney, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
Hales hoped to use similar methods to find the worst shape, but potential chattering solutions presented a roadblock.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 June 2024
Steven Goff, Washington Post, 11 July 2024
Whitmer: No plans to run for president Shortly after winning reelection to a second term as Michigan's governor by almost an 11-point margin, Whitmer shot down chatter about her potential aspirations to seek the presidency.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 6 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for chatter 
Verb
Every week or two, the same routine: another performance and, afterward, another stranger sitting in the passenger seat of Margaret’s car, chattering away about something, and then gone again.
—Sally Rooney, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
Hales hoped to use similar methods to find the worst shape, but potential chattering solutions presented a roadblock.
—Quanta Magazine, 28 June 2024
Noun
Online fan chatter about former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp seems fantastical.
—Steven Goff, Washington Post, 11 July 2024
Whitmer: No plans to run for president Shortly after winning reelection to a second term as Michigan's governor by almost an 11-point margin, Whitmer shot down chatter about her potential aspirations to seek the presidency.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 6 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for chatter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chatter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near chatter
Cite this Entry
“Chatter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chatter. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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