When you talk of the devil you will hear his bones rattle.
Source: tatoeba (28531)
Rattle
/ˈɹæ.təl/
Synonyms for "rattle" (415 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (83)
abashabateaddleaddle the witsagitateagreeable rattleassaultattenuatebabblebabblerbaffleball upbatterybearbear uponbecloudbedazzlebedlambedlam let loosebefuddle
Show 55 more words
bellbellsbewilderbickerbig talkerblabblabberblabbererblastblatherblathererbletherbluntbobberyboiler factoryboiler roombonesboostbotherbouncebrattlebrawlbrouhahabuckbugbullbull-roarerbulldozebullshitbumpbump againstbuntburblebuttbutt againstcacklecall offcastanetscatcallcatchcelestacharivarichatchatterchatterboxchatterercherry bombchimechimeschirmclackclackerclacketclamorclangor
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (125)
Noun(13 words)
clapclapperclappersclatterclatter aboutclitterclitterclattercloudcluntercommotionconfoundconfusecowcrackercracklecracklingcramcrampcrash cymbalcricket
Show 87 more words
cripplecrowdcymbalcymbalsdampdampendazedazzledeadendebilitatedemoralizedevitalizedigdindiscombobulatediscomfitdiscomposedisconcertdiscorddiscountenancedismaydisorganizedisorientdisquietdistractdisturbditherdonnybrookdrivedriveldrooldrunken brawldulldustupelbowelectrifyembarrassenervateenfeebleentangleenumerateeviscerateexhaustextenuatefazefinger cymbalsfirecrackerflapflummoxflurryflusterflutterfogfoilforcefracasfree-for-allfuddlefussgabgabbergabblegabblergamelangasgasbaggibbergibble-gabblegibble-gabblerglockenspielgo ongoadgonggossipgreat talkergruelgushhandbellshaverhecklehell broke loosehornhot-air artisthowlhubbubhue and cryhullabaloo
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (207)
hurtlehustleidiophoneidle chattererimpedejabjabberjabbererjamjanglejarjawjayjigglejinglejogjogglejoltjostlejounce
Show 155 more words
klaxonlay lowlistloud noiselyramagpiemaracamarimbamazemetallophonemistmitigatemix upmoidermoulin a parolesmuddlenatternoisenoise and shoutingnoisemakernonplusnudgeoffendorchestral bellsoutcrypalaverpandemoniumpatterpattererpercussionpercussion instrumentpercussionspercussiveperplexperturbpifflepile drivepokepotherpour forthpratepraterprattleprattlerpressprodpunchpushput offput outracketraise hellramram downrambleramble onrattle aroundrattle onrattlebonesrattleboxrattletybangrattlingrecitereducereel offrhubarbroarrockrowruckleruckusructionrufflerumblerumpusrunrun againstrun onrun throughsapshakeshake upshattershindyshivareeshivershockshouldershoveshuddersirensizzlersnappersnapperssoften upspeedspoutspout offstaggersteam whistlestirstressstupefysurprisetake the edge offtalktalk awaytalk nonsensetalk ontam-tamtampthrow into confusionthrustthunderthunderclapticktacktinkletintamarretintinnabulatittle tattletittle-tattletonitruonetriangletroubletubular bellstumulttwaddletwattletwiddletwitterunbraceundermineunmanunnerveunsettleunstrengthenunstringuproarupsetuttervaporvibesvibraphonevibratewaffleweakenwhistlewhizgigwhizzerwindbagwindjammerword-slingerxylophoneyakyakkety-yak
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abash, abate, addle, addle the wits, agitate.
- Sentence evidence is available for rattle, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rattle".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rattle"
Keep "rattle" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rattle" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rattle", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rattle" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesagitatecommunicationemotional impactgoinstrumentnoisepercussion instrumentplaythingpsychological effectshakesoundspeech acttailtoy
More specific
16 entriesCollocations
11 entriesbaby rattlegourd rattleplastic rattlerattle loudlyrattle offrattle soundrattle the cagesrattle the chainsrattle the keysrattle the nerveswooden rattle
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
1 entriesTranslations
60 translations across 21 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- ratel noun (sound)
Ancient Greek
1 entries- κρότος noun (sound)
Bulgarian
2 entries- тропане noun (sound)
- чукане noun (sound)
Dutch
3 entries- gerammel noun (sound)
- geratel noun (sound)
- ratel noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
Finnish
4 entries- helinä noun (sound)
- kalina noun (sound)
- kalistin noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
- kolina noun (sound)
French
4 entries- bruit noun (sound)
- cliquetis noun (sound)
- crépitement noun (sound)
- râle noun (sound made in the throat whilst breathing when mucus is not fully cleared)
Galician
1 entries- ruxe ruxe noun (sound)
German
4 entries- Geklapper noun (sound)
- Gerassel noun (sound)
- Klappern noun (sound)
- Rasseln noun (sound)
Hungarian
2 entries- csörgés noun (sound)
- zörgés noun (sound)
Irish
1 entries- gliogar noun (sound)
Japanese
1 entries- ガタガタ音 noun (sound)
Latin
1 entries- crepitus noun (sound)
Māori
2 entries- ngēngē noun (sound made in the throat whilst breathing when mucus is not fully cleared)
- whakararā noun (sound)
Polish
4 entries- charczenie noun (sound made in the throat whilst breathing when mucus is not fully cleared)
- grzechotanie noun (sound)
- grzechotka noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
- klekotanie noun (sound)
Portuguese
4 entries- cascavel noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
- chocalhada noun (sound)
- chocalho noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
- guizo noun (zoology: organ that produces a rattling sound)
Russian
4 entries- гро́хот noun (sound)
- дребезжа́ние noun (sound)
- стук noun (sound)
- треск noun (sound)
Serbo-Croatian
4 entries- hròpac noun (sound)
- klopòtac noun (sound)
- klȅpēt noun (sound)
- klȍpōt noun (sound)
Spanish
1 entries- matraca noun (sound)
Swahili
1 entries- kayamba noun (sound)
Swedish
1 entries- rassel noun (sound)
Vietnamese
2 entries- lách cách noun (sound)
- lạch cạch noun (sound)
Sample sentences
33 total sentences available.
The baby was shaking the rattle.
Source: tatoeba (272373)
The earthquake caused the house to rattle.
Source: tatoeba (277192)
Flies high the cow and low the cattle, a twister does the farmyard rattle.
Source: tatoeba (788578)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rattle"?
Closest matches include abash, abate, addle, addle the wits, agitate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rattle"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.