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

Left for dead and vastly underestimated by a trio of male attackers, a young woman stands tall against the expanse of an unforgiving desert, spattered in blood. — Jen Yamato, latimes.com, "Pushed to her limits, the first horror heroine of the Time’s Up era is born in the gutsy ‘Revenge’," 3 May 2018 Since a first fissure opened in a community on May 3, lava was mostly spattering up and collecting at the edges of the cracks in the ground. — CBS News, "Hawaii lava flow ramps up as new magma mixes with old," 20 May 2018 Pyrocumulus clouds are rare mushroom-like cloud formations that can tower above lava and gases spattering from a volcano. — Amir Vera, CNN, "Hawaii's Kilauea volcano eruption has now destroyed more than 80 homes," 2 June 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Lava spatter can weigh as much as a refrigerator — but kill you in even the smallest amounts. — James Hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Hillary Clinton warns of ‘a full-fledged crisis in our democracy’ at Yale," 21 May 2018 Shows like Law and Order and CSI have taught a generation of Americans that blood spatters and handwriting analysis are crucial for catching criminals. — Angela Chen, The Verge, "The dean of UCLA Law explains the uncertain future of forensic science," 20 Dec. 2018 Give the gums their bloody look by contouring with red eyeshadow, then apply fake blood liberally and give yourself a final blood spatter with red hairspray. — Zoë Weiner, Teen Vogue, "The Scariest Halloween Makeup Tutorials," 8 Oct. 2018 Liberated’ The bass line has a steel-drum shimmer and an old-Motown sense of uplift; the drums spatter like 2010s trap. — Jon Pareles, New York Times, "The Playlist: Kanye West’s Breakout Star 070 Shake, and 10 More New Songs," 8 June 2018 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

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.