# clatter

/ˈkɫætɝ/ (US) · /klˈætɐ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clatter
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a loud, rattling sound made when hard objects hit each other, like dishes or keys falling. You use it for quick, messy noise, not a single clean ring.

For teachers: a loud, sharp rattling sound produced by hard objects striking one another in rapid succession.

## Examples

- I hear the clatter of dishes from the kitchen.
- The early morning street fills with the clatter of shutters opening as shopkeepers prepare for the day.
- Amid the quiet library, the sudden clatter of a dropped tray of cutlery shattered the concentration of every reader near the café corner.

## Synonyms

rattle, crash

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.