saber-rattling
noun
sa·ber-rat·tling
ˈsā-bər-ˌrat-liŋ
-ˌra-tᵊl-iŋ
variants
or saber rattling
or chiefly British sabre-rattling
or sabre rattling
: overtly and often exaggeratedly threatening actions or statements (such as verbal threats or ostentatious displays of military power) that are meant to intimidate an enemy by suggesting possible use of force
But Jager insists that North Korean saber-rattling was aimed mostly at extorting economic aid from Washington, Seoul and other governments anxious to preserve peace at almost any price.—Mark Atwood Lawrence
Iran's noisy saber rattling is only the latest lurch in its erratic foreign policy.—John Greenwald
broadly
: threatening statements or actions
The U.S. central bank has been saber-rattling for months regarding interest rate hikes but has yet to pull the trigger amid uneven economic data. —Jeff Fox
For months now, the card companies have been threatening to cut rewards programs sharply to make up for revenue lost because of the new restrictions. My guess, however, is that this talk is just so much saber-rattling. —Ron Lieber
Cite this Entry
“Saber-rattling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saber-rattling. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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