spouted; spouting; spouts
Synonyms of spout

transitive verb

1
: to eject (liquid) in a stream
wells spouting oil
2
a
: to speak or utter readily, volubly, and at length
spouting poetry
—often used with off
spouting off a long list of examples to prove his point
b
: to speak or utter in a pompous or oratorical manner : declaim
a candidate spouting empty promises

intransitive verb

1
: to issue with force or in a jet : spurt
2
: to eject material (such as liquid) in a jet
3
: declaim
spouted on and on about politics
—often used with off
tired of her spouting off about her successes
spouter noun

spout

2 of 2

noun

1
: a pipe or conductor through which a liquid is discharged or conveyed in a stream: such as
a
: a pipe for carrying rainwater from a roof
b
: a projecting tube or lip from which a liquid (such as water) issues
2
: a discharge or jet of liquid or moisture from or as if from a pipe: such as
b
: the blowing of a whale
3
archaic : pawnshop

Examples of spout in a Sentence

Verb The well was spouting oil. She kept spouting on and on about politics. Noun Water was flowing from the spout. the spout of a tea kettle
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
That underdog context feeds into the implicit soft power competition between the Toho Godzilla releases and the American franchise from Legendary, which has spouted a whole Monsterverse involving King Kong and an accompanying TV show. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026 Enceladus is Saturn's sixth largest moon with a diameter equal to roughly the width of Arizona, and it's thought to have a massive subsurface ocean that spouts plumes of water out into space. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
The kettle ostensibly includes a spout through which people are released as molecules are split from their collective bonds. — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Reattach & Run Water The last step is to reattach your showerhead and turn on the water to flush any remaining vinegar from the spouts. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spout

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English; akin to Middle Dutch spoiten to spout, Old English spīwan to spew

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spout was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spout. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: to shoot (as liquid) out with force
wells spouting oil
2
: to speak with a long and quick flow of words so as to sound important
3
: to flow out with force : spurt
blood spouted from the wound
spouter noun

spout

2 of 2 noun
1
: a tube, pipe, or hole through which something (as rainwater) spouts
2
: a sudden strong stream of fluid
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