rattled
rattled Lexical Profile
rattled Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Nervous, worried, or flustered, especially after experiencing something sudden, shocking, or stressful.
"The witness appeared visibly rattled by the unexpected line of questioning during the trial."
• verb
To make or cause to make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds (past tense and past participle of rattle).
"The fierce autumn wind rattled the loose windowpanes throughout the night."
To make someone nervous, worried, or irritated (past tense and past participle of rattle).
"The sudden change in exam format rattled several students right before the test began."
• Rhymes for rattled
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Middle English verb 'ratelen', of West Germanic imitative origin (akin to Middle Dutch 'ratelen' and German 'rasseln'), originally mimicking a rapid clattering noise before developing its figurative sense of being emotionally shaken in the late 19th century.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.