sputter

1 of 2

verb

sput·​ter ˈspə-tər 

sputtered; sputtering; sputters

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

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

sputter

2 of 2

noun

1

: confused and excited speech or discussion

2

: the act or sound of sputtering

Synonyms of sputter

Verb

• drool
• shout
• chatter
• mutter
• chat
• gibber
• rattle
• stutter
• babble
• gabble
• prattle
• shriek
• mumble
• jabber
• screech

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

Verb

This year, the war in the Middle East has caused the global fuel and fertilizer trade to sputter, further squeezing farmers’ margins. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026

Judge Dredd has two movies of varying quality, but attempts to follow the 2012 version with a TV show appear to have sputtered out. —Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026

Noun

And the skeptics say this is all corporate hype chasing billions in investment while the actual tech sputters with hallucinations and errors, choking on real-world problems. —Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026

President Trump is facing an economic squeeze as the Iran war drives up oil prices and the U.S. job market sputters. —Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

akin to Dutch sputteren to sputter

First Known Use

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1673, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sputter

• sputter/roar to life

Rhymes for sputter

• butter
• clutter
• cutter
• flutter
• gutter
• mutter
• nutter
• putter
• rutter
• shutter
• stutter
• utter

Kids 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

-ər-ər

noun

sputter

2 of 2 noun

: the act or sound of sputtering