Synonyms of sputtering

sputtering 1 of 2

adjective

as in muttering

Related Words

• muttering
• faltering
• stumbling
• stuttering
• mumbling
• halting
• stammering
• maundering
• hesitant
• inarticulate
• unvocal
• voiceless
• ineloquent
• mute
• speechless
• tongueless
• tongue-tied

Dissimilar Words

• articulate
• eloquent
• fluent
• voluble
• verbal
• vocal
• glib
• facile
• expressive
• well-spoken
• silver-tongued
• outspoken
• smooth-tongued

sputtering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sputter

as in chattering

to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly

she was so shocked that, for a moment, all she could do was sputter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• chattering
• shouting
• drooling
• chatting
• rattling
• muttering
• gibbering
• jabbering
• babbling
• stuttering
• prattling
• gabbling
• shrieking
• driveling
• mumbling
• screeching
• bumbling
• blathering
• stammering
• pattering
• trolling
• yakking
• murmuring
• blithering
• gabbing
• blabbering
• prating
• bleating
• jawing
• mouthing
• jangling
• chuntering
• smattering
• running on
• tittle-tattling
• maundering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• articulating
• pronouncing
• enunciating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sputtering

Adjective

Maybe this is what the Chargers are — lurching, sputtering and unable to consistently move the football, despite an offensive overhaul packed with lofty expectations. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Turnovers, third-down struggles and a sputtering rushing attack resulted in a lack of sustained drives, a feeble attack and an embarrassing defeat. — Doug Haller, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

That’s not to make excuses, but to put in context, what is also a sputtering, screwball-y film about masculine roles in a waning patriarchal society. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

First, the continuous scouring action of the water jet removes slag and oxidized sputtering residues, producing a clean processing interface with smooth inner walls and vertical groove profiles. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026

This season’s combination of a sputtering offense and a shaky bullpen – exposed again Sunday as the Brewers padded their lead in the late innings – is already way too stomach-churning for Dodger fans. — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Aug. 2026

Trump spoke now not only to distract from his sputtering Iran war and its effects on the economy, but also because his attempts to concretely interfere with the 2026 election thus far have almost all failed. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

This one required extra innings and undid a late surge by their sputtering offense. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2026

Voters first approved the tax in 2020 but lowered it in 2024 amid San Francisco’s sputtering economic recovery. — Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026

Verb

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

Some analysts attributed the drop-off to sputtering demand as investors moved past the company's splashy listing and took a closer look at its bottom line. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Wrangling my emotions became the difference between sputtering to a halt and moving forward. — Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Their side hustle is sputtering toward some sort of finish line, the Saudi’s Public Investment Fund having pulled the cashflow that made LIV so appealing in the first place. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026

So, the Dodgers’ offense has been sputtering as of late. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026

With the majority of their big-league starting lineup competing in the World Baseball Classic, the offense is sputtering big-time. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

After some false starts, a windfall came when David Geffen, the longtime contemporary art collector, made his historic pledge in 2017, injecting some excitement into a campaign that had been sputtering. — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026

But what could have been a clever commentary on family dysfunction, success and the American way falls flat, only occasionally sputtering to life. — Cary Darling, Houston Chronicle, 18 Feb. 2026