SPUTTER Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

sputter

verb

ˈspə-tər

Definition of sputter

as in to drool

to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly she was so shocked that, for a moment, all she could do was sputter

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of sputter His Toronto Maple Leafs, on the heels of three straight first-round playoff exits, were sputtering in November with a 9-10-4 record. — Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 On their way to shore, the tender begins to sputter and smoke. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026 Yet domestic investments, including in the Mountain Pass mine in California, continued to sputter because of scarce profits, price volatility, and technological challenges. — Gloria Xiong, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 Wankel turned a valve, and billion-year-old brine sputtered out of one of the pipes. — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sputter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputter

Verb

Beyond the seating area is the hotel shop with a vibrant range of pottery to drool over.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
Who had broken a wrist on the back-yard flagstones, drooled cherry medicine down her sleeping face on the car ride back from the hospital.

— Emma Cline, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of drool

Verb

This is good news for us end and footnotes fans (shout out to David Foster Wallace, Nicholson Baker, and the Folger editions of Shakespeare).

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
In one shot, a beardless Jason is in the center of a teammate huddle, seemingly shouting at the top of his lungs.

— Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of shout

Verb

When John finally reunites with Hal (who charges the ring against the lantern while quickly muttering his oath), the frustrated protégé immediately confronts his teacher with all the suspicions he was meant to keep secret.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
That’s when Way mutters the p-word — under his breath for plausible deniability, but certainly still with the intention of being heard, smirking at the sound of my laughter.

— Selome Hailu, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of mutter

Verb

Newsom, who chatted with lawmakers at the Capitol on Monday in what will be his last regular legislative session as governor, praised Lowenthal and the bill.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
During the 2013 season, the 49ers lost in the NFC Championship game to the Seattle Seahawks – the team that would bring him in for his only meeting during the 2017 offseason to chat about potentially signing.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of chat

Verb

But when the disheveled, withdrawn ex-friend shows up in the locker room gibbering about an evil spirit, Sam is mortified, impulsively knocking to the ground the grungy-looking Mason jar that Tamira has been carrying around.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 18 Sep. 2023
For a while, police interest bent toward a Phud who had been warned he might be eliminated from the program, who had seemed almost exultant about the fire and gibbered gleefully about the media spotlight.

— New York Times, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2018

Definition of gibber

Verb

As Fernandes undertook his trademark run-up, Tielemans mirrored him exactly, sidestepping and stuttering in synchronisation.

— Cerys Jones, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Its fast 180-hertz refresh rate, paired with a 1ms response time, keeps on-screen action razor-sharp, and AMD FreeSync technology eliminates tearing and stuttering.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of stutter

Browse Nearby Words

sputa

sputter

sputtered

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“Sputter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputter. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sputter

verb

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