verb

clatter

KLA-tuh

verb

To make a rapid series of short, sharp banging or rattling sounds.

"The pans clattered to the floor when the shelf collapsed."

"Hooves clattered on the cobblestones outside."

noun

A loud rattling noise made by hard objects knocking together.

"There was a clatter of dishes from the kitchen."

How to Use Clatter

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA rattly, banging noise — or the act of making one.

Common pairings

clatter of pans clatter down the stairs a loud clatter

clattered past tense, clatters singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The pans _____ to the floor when the shelf collapsed.

From Old English roots imitating the sound itself — like "clack" and "rattle," it's onomatopoeic in origin.

matter batter hatter latter patter scatter shatter flatter chatter spatter platter squatter