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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
But the Bears’ offense, expected to be upgraded with Johnson’s play-calling in place given his success with the Detroit Lions, sputtered after that.
—
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Stanford’s passing game has continued to sputter in the first season under general manager Andrew Luck.
—Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
The offense sputtered early, but backup quarterback Tayven Jackson stepped in and delivered 17 of 24 passes for 282 yards and two late touchdowns, including the game‑winner.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sputter
Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Stanford’s passing game has continued to sputter in the first season under general manager Andrew Luck.
—Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 7 Sep. 2025
The offense sputtered early, but backup quarterback Tayven Jackson stepped in and delivered 17 of 24 passes for 282 yards and two late touchdowns, including the game‑winner.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Sep. 2025
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sputter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputter
Verb
-
Thank you to this show for giving us so many things to drool over every season.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Symptoms may begin within minutes, which include heavy drooling—especially in cats—and redness on the skin and in or around the mouth.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Herzl shouted him down and insisted on political plurality.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Law enforcement officers with their guns drawn walk up a driveway at the intersection and shout several times for someone who is not visible in the video to drop the gun.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The data also added to chatter about whether a jumbo, half-percentage-point cut could be on the table in September — a conversation Jim Cramer feels is justified.—
Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
7 Sep. 2025
-
After much chattering about the status of the Oscar winner’s seemingly clean-cut visage in the lead-up to the film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival, once the camera (actually, four cameras) train themselves on Stone’s noggin during the film’s first act, there’s no doubt.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
My husband has been muttering in a loop about tuition, books, food, and transportation to and from home to campus.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Although full disclosure, those two words were muttered in the press box Sunday after Nix had thrown two unsightly picks through the first three quarters of the Broncos’ win over Tennessee.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The platform confirmed reports that Robinson had posted messages to a Discord chat two hours before being taken into custody.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
-
In a clip shared by a fan on X, Joe Jonas could be seen chatting to a fan and holding an envelope.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
-
Shut your bedroom door or use a towel to prevent rattling.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Instead of being deep fried, pig skins are crisped up on the pit and chopped into shards that deliver an incredible punch of smoke beneath each jaw-rattling crunch.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
My connection often improved a few minutes later, but those drops could result in stuttering in games, hitches in streaming, and slow file downloads.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
-
There are at least some promising signs on the field, despite a stuttering start results wise, the ongoing transfer issues, and one lingering saga.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sputter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputter. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share