smattering

noun

smat·​ter·​ing ˈsma-tə-riŋ How to pronounce smattering (audio)
1
: superficial piecemeal knowledge
a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklayingAlva Johnston
2
: a small scattered number or amount
a smattering of spectators

Examples of smattering in a Sentence

She only knows a smattering of German. a smattering of guests at the art exhibit
Recent Examples on the Web Why would anybody greenlight a spinoff about a minor character who appeared in a smattering of episodes of two moderately successful series over a period of 14 years? Phillip MacIak, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Drew Madsen, a former exec at Panera Bread who was named CEO of Noodles & Company this month, noted on a recent call with investors that besides a smattering of promotional menu items, the brand’s core offerings haven’t really been refreshed for quite some time. Angela L. Pagán / The Takeout, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 That shift seems obvious when taking into account the limited record selection at big-box retailers like Target, where pop albums from Swift or Rodrigo dominate the shelves alongside a more limited smattering of Queen and Beatles greatest hits albums. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 6 Mar. 2024 Despite all the people, the Grove felt separate and tranquil, with only a smattering of guests, uninterrupted views of the ocean, wait-less and higher-quality food, less boisterous background music, and pleasant glimpses down into the ship’s hubbub. Brett Berk, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 Indie films often launch in a smattering of theaters to generate word of mouth before expanding nationwide. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024 The crowd on a Saturday night is a mixture of friends, a smattering of solo drinkers and a young couple on a date, mulling whether to head to the jukebox or dartboard. Charlotte Lytton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Keep scrolling to check out a smattering of items that Amazon shoppers are buying in February. Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 Aside from a smattering of museums, the skin-care brand (located at 1165 Madison Ave.) is now neighbors with other new names on the strip such as Versace and Hermès. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smattering.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smattering was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near smattering

Cite this Entry

“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smattering

noun
smat·​ter·​ing ˈsmat-ə-riŋ How to pronounce smattering (audio)
1
: a small amount of knowledge
a smattering of French
2
: a small scattered number

More from Merriam-Webster on smattering

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