as in to drool
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
she was so shocked that, for a moment, all she could do was sputter
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of sputter
The offense consistently sputters early in games while their defense and special teams suffer second-half collapses that vanquish potential late game rallies.
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Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Viewers got tired of the endless bait-and-switches, and the promising and smart show of Lois & Clark’s first season slowly sputtered out by its fourth.
—Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
The offense sputtered to 23 points, well short of their nation-leading 45 points per game.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2024
The Steelers' offense sputtered for much of Sunday, but touchdowns to George Pickens and Mike Williams saved the day.
—Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sputter 
Kambui Bomani, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Viewers got tired of the endless bait-and-switches, and the promising and smart show of Lois & Clark’s first season slowly sputtered out by its fourth.
—Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
The offense sputtered to 23 points, well short of their nation-leading 45 points per game.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2024
The Steelers' offense sputtered for much of Sunday, but touchdowns to George Pickens and Mike Williams saved the day.
—Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 11 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sputter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputter
Verb
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But the saucier iterations are what viewers are drooling over on TikTok.Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
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If ingested in large amounts, the sap can cause vomiting, drooling or diarrhea.Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 16 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Upon his return to the stage, Stevie shouted out Berry Gordy — in honor of his 95th birthday and of course, their storied relationship — as well as Mayor Karen Bass for her efforts to combat the homelessness crisis plaguing Los Angeles.Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 16 Dec. 2024
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And shout out to @birdgangspirits spirits Philadelphia for throwing us some goodies to give away.Gil Macias, People.com, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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All of this runs counter to the narrative — popular among Washington’s chattering class — that a young and restive crop of Democrats is clamoring to scrap the seniority system that’s guided the party’s committee-selection process for years.Mike Lillis, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
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However, the plethora of Monday night cocktail parties were as ever packed and the famous ‘Booze Alley’ was replete with attendees chattering late into the night (and early into the morning).Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Elder economists muttered darkly of ancient times when the CPI rose by double digits, yet many a year had passed with no inflation sightings.Kevin Coldiron, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
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When Valdivia declined to give him any money, the man allegedly muttered expletives before turning away.Landon Mion, Fox News, 26 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The bride learned of this change of plans ahead of the first look and immediately asked for a walkie-talkie to chat with Alex.Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
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The two continued their playful competition, tossing darts and chatting more about the Earthshot Prize and its vision.Erin Hill, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But when the disheveled, withdrawn ex-friend shows up in the locker room gibbering about an evil spirit, Sam is mortified, impulsively knocking to the ground the grungy-looking Mason jar that Tamira has been carrying around.Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Sep. 2023
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For a while, police interest bent toward a Phud who had been warned he might be eliminated from the program, who had seemed almost exultant about the fire and gibbered gleefully about the media spotlight.New York Times, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2018
Verb
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While Fed officials formally insist markets don't sway their decisions, economists say the central bank doesn't like to rattle them.Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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That effect was on display on Viejas Mountain, where winds whipped the peak’s western flank Tuesday morning, rattling bushes near the 4,187-foot summit.Karen Kucher, The Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Falling global demand, the emergence of cheap Chinese competitors, and stuttered EV uptake caused Stellantis to issue a profit warning in September.Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 2 Dec. 2024
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But Newcastle’s season so far has been a case of false starts, stuttering form and inconsistency.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near sputter
Cite this Entry
“Sputter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputter. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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