spluttered 1 of 2

spluttered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of splutter

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spluttered
Verb
  • Preparation has cultural and regional variations, but the seed is usually chewed with slaked lime and betel leaves, and chewing releases a red juice that's often then spat out.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2025
  • The first is that when U.S. soldiers returned from the war there, protesters spat upon them in disdain.
    Jonathan Zimmerman, Foreign Affairs, 19 May 2016
Verb
  • But in lieu of a flamboyant, la dolce vita–style lifestyle brand, Bottega only whispered of luxury.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Still, something hit differently when Barlow leaned into Bateman’s ear and whispered those now-iconic words.
    Lindy Segal, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The Bears lost Brown’s first four games as head coach by an average score of 27-11 while the offense sputtered to an average of 252 yards during that span.
    Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025
  • The offense sputtered and trailed 6-3 at halftime, producing only a 47-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez in the first half.
    Ben Standig, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • If that didn’t prevent the irritation, the protists used their cilia to spit water at the pipette.
    Claire L. Evans, Quanta Magazine, 30 July 2025
  • One moment there’s a dual-headed hydra spitting flame in the city river, next there’s an all-out jet ski race bathed in gunfire.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • The stars each mouthed lines their characters said while taking a phone call.
    Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2024
  • British scientists have developed a choker that detects its wearer's silently mouthed words, and converts them into audible synthetic speech.
    Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2024
Verb
  • The room breathed a collective sigh of relief.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 Dec. 2024
  • The three points also breathed some life back into the home team.
    Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Well, that’s just not a common word uttered by the holidayers dressed in designer kaftans.
    Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Not a word of condemnation has been uttered by the Western mainstream media, none whatsoever.
    Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Carson Spiers and Andrew Abbott have looked good at the back of Cincinnati's rotation.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
  • In the end, Harris lost the opportunity to campaign for votes in key states, looked foolish in doing so, and got zero from her Joe Rogan experience.
    Amie Parnes, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spluttered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spluttered. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!