Chatter can mean light social conversationan exchange of spoken ideas or remarks between people, rapid or trivialnot important; small and lacking real value talk, or a repeated noisy clicking or buzzing sound. It is used for both people and non-human noises, so the sense depends on contextthe surrounding words or situation that help explain meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈtʃætɚ/
Easy pronunciation: CHAT-er (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress on the first syllable: CHAT-er.
Verb meaning to talk socially in a casual way.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Chatter Meaning
to talk in a friendly, casual way about small things
Part of speech: verb
Definition: talk socially without exchanging too much information
Example: We chattered over coffee for an hour.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- chat — A direct, natural substitute for casual social talking.
- chit-chat — Means light, informal conversation.
- chitchat — Same idea as chit-chat, often written as one word.
- natter — Common in British English for casual conversation.
- gossip — Works when the social talk is informal and about other people.
- shoot the breeze — Informal phrase for casual, relaxed conversation.
- chew the fat — Informal phrase meaning to chat casually.
- jaw — Colloquial synonym for talking casually.
- confab — Informal synonym for a chat or talk.
- visit — Used in some dialects to mean spend time talking socially.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Chatter
Meaning 2
a repeated high, twittering sound made by animals
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the high-pitched continuing noise made by animals (birds or monkeys)
Example: We heard the chatter of monkeys in the distance.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- chattering — The noun form used for this kind of animal noise.
Meaning 3
loud, busy, or noisy talking
Part of speech: noun
Definition: noisy talk
Example: The room was full of chatter before the meeting started.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- cackle — Can fit noisy talk, especially harsh or lively talk.
- yack — Informal synonym for noisy talking.
- yak — Informal synonym for noisy talking.
- yakety-yak — Playful term for pointless noisy talk.
Meaning 4
to talk quickly and at length about unimportant things
Part of speech: verb
Definition: speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
Example: He chattered on about nothing in particular.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- blab — Can mean talk too much, though it often suggests revealing secrets.
- blabber — Talk too much or talk carelessly.
- gabble — Talk quickly and unclearly about trivial things.
- prattle — Talk in a foolish or trivial way, especially at length.
- prate — Talk foolishly or at tedious length.
- tattle — Usually means tell tales, so it only partly matches.
- tittle-tattle — Talk about trivial gossip, not always identical to chatter.
- twaddle — Silly or foolish talk.
Meaning 5
to make repeated clicking sounds
Part of speech: verb
Definition: click repeatedly or uncontrollably
Example: Her teeth were chattering in the cold.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- click — Direct synonym for repeated clicking sounds.
Meaning 6
a repeated clicking or rattling sound from a machine
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
Example: The engine developed a worrying chatter.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- chattering — The noun form used for machine noise.
Meaning 7
to make a rapid twittering or clicking sound
Part of speech: verb
Definition: make noise as if chattering away
Example: The magpies were chattering in the trees.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Chatter Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- chat
- chit-chat
- chitchat
- natter
- gossip
- shoot the breeze
- chew the fat
Noisy talk
- cackle
- yack
- yak
- yakety-yak
Talk rapidly and incessantly about unimportant matters
- blab
- blabber
- gabble
- prattle
- prate
- twaddle
Repeated clicking or uncontrollable clicking
- click
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not mix up the friendly verb sense with the noun meaning noisy talk.
- Do not use machine-noise or animal-noise synonyms for social conversation.
- Do not assume every fast talk synonym fits the meaning of harmless casual chat.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main meaning of chatter?
Most often, chatter means casual, friendly talk about everyday things.
Is chatter always about people talking?
No. It can also mean animal noises, machine noises, or repeated clicking sounds.
What are the best synonyms for chatter?
For the main social sense, good synonyms include chat, chit-chat, chitchat, and natter.
Can chatter be a noun?
Yes. As a noun, it can mean noisy talk or a repeated sound made by animals or machines.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-21. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
