smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsma-tə-riŋ 
1
: superficial piecemeal knowledge
a smattering of carpentry, house painting, bricklaying—
Alva Johnston
Alva Johnston2
: a small scattered number or amount
a smattering of spectators
Synonyms
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
Along with the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, Amtrak has a smattering of similarly antiquated infrastructure throughout the Northeast.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 10 May 2024
After that testing period — in which players got to experience the game’s opening area, fight the first boss, and meet a smattering of new gods and characters — early access grants players an in-progress build of the full game.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for smattering 
Paolo Confino, Fortune, 10 May 2024
After that testing period — in which players got to experience the game’s opening area, fight the first boss, and meet a smattering of new gods and characters — early access grants players an in-progress build of the full game.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for smattering
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.
Dictionary Entries Near smattering
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smattering
noun
smat·ter·ing
ˈsmat-ə-riŋ
1
: a small amount of knowledge
a smattering of French
2
: a small scattered number
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