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
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
The Polisario—a contingent of tens of thousands of fighters armed with a smattering of Cold War–era weaponry donated by Libya as well as some armored cars and infantry vehicles captured from Moroccan and Mauritanian forces—may seem ill positioned to secure meaningful military victories.
—Hannah Rae Armstrong, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
As well as aliens, Hulu is showing their arch nemeses the Predators some love with a smattering of four Predator movies.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Hundreds of Kenyan police are in Haiti, along with a smattering of officers and soldiers from Caribbean countries, as part of the Multinational Security Support mission to help the Haitian police combat violent gangs who have gained control of about 90 percent of the capital.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2025
With enough twists to keep you guessing the killer’s identity until the end — plus a smattering of sweet scenes — this one works for horror hounds and a heartfelt holiday.
—Brooke Knisley, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025
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Hannah Rae Armstrong, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2025
As well as aliens, Hulu is showing their arch nemeses the Predators some love with a smattering of four Predator movies.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Hundreds of Kenyan police are in Haiti, along with a smattering of officers and soldiers from Caribbean countries, as part of the Multinational Security Support mission to help the Haitian police combat violent gangs who have gained control of about 90 percent of the capital.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2025
With enough twists to keep you guessing the killer’s identity until the end — plus a smattering of sweet scenes — this one works for horror hounds and a heartfelt holiday.
—Brooke Knisley, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smattering
Cite this Entry
“Smattering.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smattering. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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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