as in muttering
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sputtering
Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 24 May 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
In 2023, Authentic put the SI name on Lunatix, a sputtering ticket marketplace.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
And, yet, at the same time football was sputtering, something else was building.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Drivers reported stalling, sputtering and newly illuminated check engine lights shortly after refueling their vehicles.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Other factors from rising natural gas prices to the explosion of data centers across the country are also responsible for breathing life back into the sputtering coal industry.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 3 Mar. 2026
In November, the Mavericks fired beleaguered general manager Nico Harrison — the prime target of fans’ ire — amid the Mavericks’ sputtering start and Doncic’s scorching early-season play in Los Angeles.
—Eric Prisbell, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 May 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
Maybe Bryce Eldridge and Jesús Rodriguez can kick-start the sputtering engine?
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 4 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
When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Their biggest bats were sputtering, too.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 24 May 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
In 2023, Authentic put the SI name on Lunatix, a sputtering ticket marketplace.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
And, yet, at the same time football was sputtering, something else was building.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Drivers reported stalling, sputtering and newly illuminated check engine lights shortly after refueling their vehicles.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Other factors from rising natural gas prices to the explosion of data centers across the country are also responsible for breathing life back into the sputtering coal industry.
—Simmone Shah, Time, 3 Mar. 2026
In November, the Mavericks fired beleaguered general manager Nico Harrison — the prime target of fans’ ire — amid the Mavericks’ sputtering start and Doncic’s scorching early-season play in Los Angeles.
—Eric Prisbell, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
In the end, despite the early promise and intrigue, The Boroughs is just another bland, unsatisfying Netflix Original series limping and sputtering to its foregone conclusion.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 May 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
Maybe Bryce Eldridge and Jesús Rodriguez can kick-start the sputtering engine?
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 4 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
When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputtering
Adjective
-
And even the dragons almost count as a faltering institution.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
-
That order has been faltering, flouted repeatedly by the powerful who have faced no consequences for aggression, leaving the world overall more dangerous for everyone else.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The fights were slightly delayed because of inclement weather, and so we were treated, first, to a quartet of chattering analysts wearing natty, snug suits.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Wednesday evening, dozens crowded into the community room of a local church, chattering in Spanish and English in the fading light of day as part of a forum on the upcoming ICE facility.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Windows Vista and its early WDDM woes had reduced my previously badass main PC with two Nvidia 7900GT cards in SLI to a stuttering BSOD-spitting mess, and the future of Microsoft OSes looked bleak—Windows 7 wouldn’t be along to change the situation for years.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
As Pillay speaks, he is interrupted by random beeps and Canada’s players shouting either in frustration or excitement nearby.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
There’s been such an outpouring of people online, from film critics to awards pundits, shouting out your performance.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The stop-motion digital series about a jolly, mumbling, pint-size cook serves up a big slice of serotonin.—
Sonal Dutt,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This pitching matchup will have the purists drooling.—
Darren Cooper,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Familiarize yourself with common signs of heat intolerance, such as excessive panting, drooling, vomiting, weakness or blueish gums.—
Amy DeYoung,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Tesla’s halting progress is particularly evident in California.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
-
Dominguez attorney and Yolo County Deputy Public Defender Daniel Hutchinson challenged Guillory’s initial, halting description of Dominguez to an officer at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.—
Darrell Smith
June 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
That’s why the DC Defenders defensive lineman couldn’t help but glance at his Google Calendar while chatting.—
Noah White,
Washington Post,
14 June 2026
-
Throughout the day’s events, she was seen doting on her two sons while also chatting with Sarah Ferguson, then-wife of ex-Prince Andrew.—
Elle Meier,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sputtering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputtering. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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