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
He was so angry he was spurting.
3
: to make explosive popping sounds
a spurting engine
sputterer
noun
1
: confused and excited speech or discussion
2
: the act or sound of sputtering
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
ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Proposals to create public options in Maine and New Mexico also sputtered.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026
The film had a huge opening (for A24) over Timmy’s b-day weekend.
overnights Dec. 28, 2025
Mayor of Kingstown Season-Finale Recap: This Damned Show Despite the satisfying death of the season’s big bad, who goes out whimpering, the season ends with a sputter rather than a bang.
—Britina Cheng, Vulture, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sputter
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Verb
Ike, the reigning WCC player of the week, sputtered with his shot most of the night and had to score nine points over the final five minutes to keep his streak going.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
Proposals to create public options in Maine and New Mexico also sputtered.
—Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, many of India's development projects on the border sputter along without a deadline, often stymied by its slow-moving bureaucracy.
—Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 17 Feb. 2026
The film had a huge opening (for A24) over Timmy’s b-day weekend.
overnights Dec. 28, 2025
Mayor of Kingstown Season-Finale Recap: This Damned Show Despite the satisfying death of the season’s big bad, who goes out whimpering, the season ends with a sputter rather than a bang.
—Britina Cheng, Vulture, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sputter
Cite this Entry
“Sputter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sputter. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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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