sputtered 1 of 2

sputtered

2 of 2

verb

past tense of sputter

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 sputtered
Verb
But the Hurricanes’ offense sputtered through the second half, allowing the Demon Deacons to stay in the game. Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026 Bussi was sensational over the first half of the regular season, but sputtered after the Olympic break, which is why Frederik Andersen was Carolina’s starter for most of the playoffs. Jesse Granger, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The offense sputtered after losing Ladd McConkey to an injury in the third quarter. Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026 The defense is legit While the offense sputtered, the defense went into overdrive. Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Miami’s offense, which lacks speed in the final third and relies more on possession and short passes, has also sputtered at times when opponents clog the passing lanes to Messi. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026 Then in the Super Bowl while New England's offense sputtered, Gonzalez did his best to keep the team in the game with several key pass breakups. Matt Schooley, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 In the title game against Clemson, new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian’s offense sputtered at times. John Talty, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026 The small robot sputtered around in a tiny, shallow creek, whereas the medium one was sent out in a Swiss stream. Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputtered
Adjective
  • This blend of styles is not only about presenting contrasts—clean versus shouted vocals, melodic versus dissonant riffs, headbanging versus moshing—but also preserving the murky in-between that only elevates the extreme.
    Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • For Valentine's Day 2026, the retailer released a confetti glass icon candle that shoppers drooled over.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026
Adjective
  • Often made by anonymous rappers and producers with a monkish dedication to their craft, this isn’t rap for the live show but for the headphones, music where every muttered word and barely-there snare matters.
    Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • As the courtroom cleared, a jumble of spectators and journalists chattered about the whiplash.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Around the family, people shared takeout dinners, swung on hammocks and chattered.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
Adjective
  • His wraparound, tight-quarters assist on a Keshad Johnson dunk in the second half breathed fire into the lungs of the home crowd.
    Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2021
Verb
  • Over courses of ravioli, New York strip steak, and whole roasted artichokes, the duo laughed and chatted with family, patrons, Knicks fans, and Towns’s teammate Jordan Clarkson.
    Clara Hillis, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • During the opening segment, Blanco chatted with co-host Jenna Bush Hager about his wife Selena Gomez’s recent post sharing her hopes to become a mom in the future and start her own family.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • For many leaders, the phrase conjures up whispered alliances, opportunistic loyalty, self-interested maneuvering and the slow poisoning of organizational culture.
    Harrison Monarth, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • The break-in also rattled people who live nearby, including Porsche Hopkins, a regular customer who lives down the street.
    Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The six cases do not include the Hugging Face incident that rattled the AI sector.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sputtered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputtered. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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