as in upset
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in clattered
to make a series of short sharp noises
the children tromped through the kitchen, making the plates on the shelf rattle
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in chatted
to engage in casual or rambling conversation
busily rattling away about our vacation plans, we didn't listen to the announcements and missed our flight
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in rambled
to talk at length without sticking to a topic or getting to a point
she rattled on and on about all her European shopping trips, but I wasn't really listening
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in embarrassed
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
don't let a little mistake rattle you while you're playing during the piano recital
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rattled
Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
But a turnover from San Diego State leading scorer BJ Davis (22) gave Boise State senior guard Dylan Andrews the chance to win the game at the buzzer; however, his midrange jumper over a defender rattled inside the rim and back out as the buzzer sounded.
—Idaho Statesman, 4 Jan. 2026
That year, Chris Christie flipped New Jersey’s governorship, Bob McDonnell won the Virginia governor’s race in a landslide, and months later, Republican Scott Brown captured a Massachusetts Senate seat in a January 2010 special election, an upset that rattled Democrats.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
The defense, which rattled Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin early and finished with five sacks plus the two interceptions, got a needed stop midway through the fourth quarter to keep the lead intact.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Jan. 2026
Once the employee gets rattled, the attackers will direct them to a fake helpdesk or HR website to input their login credentials.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Jan. 2026
But the last five or so years have left people feeling economically rattled — enough so that some of these milestones are getting delayed, re-ordered or pushed out altogether, especially for the younger cohort.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Your emotional roots may be rattled today.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
But the message has rattled producers and sales agents who rely on foreign subsidies, soft money and multi-territory deals to make budgets work.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
His praise came several months after some of the president's loudest supporters called Barrett squishy, a rattled law professor and a DEI hire for siding against the administration on one of the president’s many emergency appeals.
—Verb
But his threat came as widespread protests—fueled by a devaluing currency and rapid inflation—have rattled the country in the past week, leading to violent clashes involving security forces.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for rattled
Adjective
-
The Tigers, previously 0-9 all-time at Rupp Arena, took advantage of a struggling Kentucky Wildcats squad for a 73-68 upset win.—
-
The automaker spent much of the year undoing decisions made by the previous CEO, Carlos Tavares, who resigned at the end of 2024, as stakeholders in the company — from dealers to union rank and file — were upset with him and unhappy with his leadership.—
Verb
-
Andy clattered up the hill through the brush and pulled to a halt.—
-
As Mathias Jensen’s 95th-minute strike clattered into the net, at once extinguishing Manchester United’s stuttering attempt to come back from two early goals down at Brentford on Saturday lunchtime, a lot of attention turned to the away dugout.—
Verb
-
Emma Stone and Ariana Grande, seated just a table away from each other, shared a private moment catching up, while Clooney, Paltrow and Ethan Hawke chatted a few tables over.—
-
Falcons long snapper Liam McCullough chatted with reporters Monday.—
Verb
-
Drew Mestemaker threw for 366 yards and three touchdowns while Caleb Hawkins rambled for 186 yards and four scores on 25 carries.—
-
His speech was unhinged, often not founded in fact, and rambled badly.—
Verb
-
French authorities have arrested several suspects after a frantic manhunt for the men who staged a spectacular daytime heist at the Louvre museum that gripped the world and embarrassed the government in Paris.—
-
The Revolution provided a brief scare through a 59th-minute goal from Dor Turgeman, who embarrassed a defender before curling home a spectacular effort, but Inter Miami broke the tie almost immediately after the strike that made the score 2-1.—
Adjective
-
So what exactly got the studio so hot and bothered?—
-
Despite his status as a pop culture icon for close to 50 years now, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic has claimed he’s not terribly bothered about being overlooked by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.—
Verb
-
Before the Globes, Chalamet talked to Entertainment Tonight at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Awards about the future of the lovebirds' date-night outfits.—
-
Neil Krishnaswamy, a CFP and president of Krishna Wealth Planning in McKinney, Texas, has talked with clients about the 401(k) change.—
Verb
-
British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett, who wandered the Amazon for 22 years at the beginning of the 20th century before vanishing without a trace, wrote that the breath of the anaconda stupefied its prey.—
-
That morning, in a new suburb of Glendale, three-year-old Kelly Keen wandered, unattended, out of her house and into the driveway.—
Cite this Entry
“Rattled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rattled. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share