sputtered; sputtering; sputters
1
: to spit or squirt from the mouth with explosive sounds
2
: to utter hastily or explosively in confusion or excitement
"that's ridiculous!" she sputtered
3
: to dislodge (atoms) from the surface of a material by collision with high energy particles
also
: to deposit (a metallic film) by such a process
1
: to spit or squirt particles of food or saliva noisily from the mouth
2
: to speak explosively or confusedly in anger or excitement
3
: to make explosive popping sounds
sputterer
noun
1
: confused and excited speech or discussion
2
: the act or sound of sputtering
Synonyms
Examples of sputter in a Sentence
Verb
The motor sputtered and died.
He was sputtering with rage.
She sputtered an angry protest.
“You, you have to be kidding!” he sputtered.
Recent Examples on the Web
Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025
Out of Water: Firefighters had spent hours battling out-of-control fires sweeping through the Pacific Palisades when their water lines started to sputter.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Nearby, next to some avocado trees, Kristopher Carbone’s generator let out a final distressed sputter.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sputter 
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Verb
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Fabian Zetterlund up in the air, Jake Walman grounded as San Jose Sharks get ready to fly to Utah
The Sharks have sputtered on offense for over a month.
—Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2025
Out of Water: Firefighters had spent hours battling out-of-control fires sweeping through the Pacific Palisades when their water lines started to sputter.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
The Monster at the End of This Book meta angle begins with promise but sputters over the next 90 minutes despite the clear connective tissue of a Frankenstein’s-monster motif, only to return at the end without sufficient transformative addition.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2025
Nearby, next to some avocado trees, Kristopher Carbone’s generator let out a final distressed sputter.
—Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sputter
Dictionary Entries Near sputter
Cite this Entry
“Sputter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sputter. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sputter
1 of 2 verb
sput·ter
ˈspət-ər 
1
: to spit or squirt pieces of food or saliva noisily from the mouth
2
: to speak or utter hastily or explosively in confusion or excitement
sputtered out protests
3
: to make explosive popping sounds
the motor sputtered and died
sputterer
noun
-ər-ər
sputter
2 of 2 noun
: the act or sound of sputtering
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