spatter

verb

spat·ter | \ˈspa-tər

spattered; spattering; spatters

Definition of spatter

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to spurt forth in scattered drops blood spattering everywhere

transitive verb

1 : to splash with or as if with a liquid also : to soil in this way his coat was spattered with mud

2 : to scatter by or as if by splashing spatter water

3 : to cover with or as if with splashes or spots

4 : to cast aspersions on : defame spattered my reputation

spatter

noun

Definition of spatter (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the act or process of spattering : the state of being spattered

b : the noise of spattering

2a : a drop or splash spattered on something or a spot or stain due to spattering

b : a small amount or number : sprinkle a spatter of applause

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about spatter

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Examples of spatter in a Sentence

Verb

The dog jumped in the pool and spattered us with water. His clothes were spattered with paint. When you cook bacon, the grease spatters everywhere. He showed me how to use the paintbrush so the paint wouldn't spatter.

Noun

There were grease spatters all over the wall. The floor was covered with spatters of paint. There was a lot of paint spatter on the floor.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Kilauea's continued eruptions — possibly a long windup to a major explosion at the summit — forced more evacuations Sunday as yet another fissure opened and spattered lava along the volcano's eastern flank . — David Montero, latimes.com, "New fissure prompts more evacuations near Kilauea volcano," 14 May 2018 Jackson’s blood was also found soaked into the front passenger seat, spattered in the seat belt receiver, a spot on the carpet near the rear seat, a portion of the rear seat upholstery not cut from the car, a window, and elsewhere, Baker testified. — David Owens, courant.com, "Blood Found in Graham's Minivan Was That Of Tashuana Jackson," 12 Jan. 2018 Even in the face of imminent, wall-spattering death or toenail-pulling torture, the speech of Inishmoreans exudes a homogenizing prosiness. — Ben Brantley, New York Times, "Orlando Bloom and Aidan Turner Are Drenched in Blood in London," 4 July 2018 Basquiat is dressed in an Armani suit, barefoot, dreadlocked, paint-spattered. — Stephen Metcalf, The Atlantic, "Jean-Michel Basquiat Is Still an Enigma," 24 June 2018 Officials ordered more than 1,700 people out of Big Island communities near the lava, warning of the dangers of spattering hot rock and high levels of sulfuric gas that could threaten the elderly and people with breathing problems. — CBS News, "Hawaii rattled by quakes as Kilauea volcano spews lava and toxic gas," 5 May 2018 Officials ordered more than 1,700 people out of Big Island communities near the lava, warning of the dangers of spattering hot rock and high levels of sulfuric gas that could threaten the elderly and people with breathing problems. — Caleb Jones, BostonGlobe.com, "Hawaii braces for more quakes, lava from Kilauea volcano," 5 May 2018 Fingernail-sized hail spattered the tents for a short time as low spots in the land along the bayou filled with a few inches of water. — Michael Democker, NOLA.com, "Saturday at Bayou Boogaloo: photo gallery," 19 May 2018 In the Leilani Estates area, the USGS said there are still reports of lava spattering out of the ground, but the lava flow has not advanced significantly recently. — Heidi Chang, latimes.com, "New eruption at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano sends up 30,000-foot ash plume; residents told to ‘shelter in place’," 18 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Several fissures remained active Wednesday, producing lava spatter. — Sophia Yan And Audrey Mcavoy, chicagotribune.com, "Quakes damage roads as ash spews from Hawaii volcano," 17 May 2018 An 18th fissure caused by the Kilaueau volcano, that first erupted more than a week ago, was reported early Sunday morning, releasing steam and lava spatter west of Highway 132 along Hale Kamahina Loop Road, Hawaii County Civil Defense said. — Fox News, "Hawaii volcano spurs new evacuations on Big Island after lava fissure reported," 13 May 2018 There is some intermittent spatter but no substantial lava flow. — CBS News, "New lava fissure opens as Hawaii awaits explosive eruption," 13 May 2018 In the Leilani Estates Subdivision, fissure 7 was active for several hours on May 5 with large bubble bursts and spatter. — Don Sweeney, sacbee, "Rivers of lava in Hawaii produce amazing photos — and a warning: Please don't die | The Sacramento Bee," 7 May 2018 The Peterson case also relied heavily on the testimony of an expert in blood spatter analysis, a form of science that has come under scrutiny in recent years. — Andrea Valdez, WIRED, "Top Stories in June 2018: An Alternate Theory About 'The Staircase'," 30 June 2018 Police noted the fresh paint in the kitchen, found more blood spatter on the kitchen ceiling, and documented the strong odor of cleaning chemicals that Tucker had admitted to using afterward, the report states. — Josh Kovner, courant.com, "Hamden Man Said He Beat Mother, Burned Her Body For 8 Hours," 11 June 2018 This special ends better for Peterson; in the years since Peterson’s trial, the state’s blood spatter analyst Duane Deaver is discovered to be a fraud, having fabricated information about dozens of cases throughout his career. — Rachel Syme, The New Republic, "How The Staircase Defined True Crime Series," 11 June 2018 Oozing red rivers of lava have slowly made their way across the region surrounding the volcano on Hawaii's Big Island, while fountains of molten rock dance and spatter around the erupting fissures. — National Geographic, "Why Blue Flames Are Now Burning at Kilauea," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spatter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.