stammer

verb

stam·​mer ˈsta-mər 

stammered; stammering ˈsta-mə-riŋ 

ˈstam-riŋ

intransitive verb

: to make involuntary stops and repetitions in speaking : stutter

transitive verb

: to utter with involuntary stops or repetitions

"It means," he stammered, groping for meanings—"it means being good …"

—W. E. B. Du Bois

stammer noun

stammerer

ˈsta-mər-ər 

noun

Examples of stammer in a Sentence

“I d-don't know what you're talking about!” she stammered.

He stammered an excuse and fled.

Recent Examples on the Web

Valentina tells Carol, who then stammers over her own words. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025

Even characters like Lauren Domingue — sweet, stammering, fearful Lauren, who is not boring, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025

The stammering old man is trying to be a Tamburlaine. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Thiel stared ahead blankly and began stammering, as if his brain were buffering. —Christian Schneider, National Review, 10 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English stameren, from Old English stamerian; akin to Old High German stamalōn to stammer, Old Norse stemma to hinder, damn up — more at stem

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for stammer

• amor
• clamor
• clamour
• glamor
• glamour
• grammar
• hammer
• jammer
• rammer
• programmer
• sledgehammer
• tetramer

Kids Definition

stammer

1 of 2 verb

stam·​mer

ˈstam-ər

stammered; stammering

-(ə-)riŋ

: to speak or utter with involuntary stops and much repeating

stammerer

-ər-ər

noun

stammer

2 of 2 noun

: an act or instance of stammering

Medical Definition

stammer

1 of 2 intransitive verb

stam·​mer ˈstam-ər 

stammered; stammering -(ə-)riŋ 

: to make involuntary stops and repetitions in speaking : stutter

stammer

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of stammering

2

: the habitual tendency to stammer

a severe stammer

: stammering sense 2