sputtering 1 of 2

adjective

as in muttering

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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

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 sputtering
Adjective
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 In one year, the Eagles’ offense went from a pick-your-poison attack that helped Philadelphia win the Super Bowl to a sputtering three-and-out machine. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 14 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 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
Verb
With the Red Sox sputtering in last place in the AL East, the organization has bigger problems than Contreras. — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 2 July 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 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
  1. faltering
  2. chattering
  3. stuttering
  4. shouting
  5. mumbling
  6. drooling
  7. halting
  8. chatting
Adjective
  • In 2019 and again in 2020, the company launched a pair of spacecraft that latched onto faltering communication satellites and steered them, providing extra years of life.
    — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 22 July 2026
  • Dodgers right-hander Edgardo Henriquez was on the mound as their third pitcher in a bullpen game, and his command was faltering, to the tune of back-to-back walks and a wild pitch.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of faltering
Verb
  • That’s nothing more than a nonsensical, demonizing political narrative spewed by left-wing politicians and their brethren in the progressive chattering class.
    — Michael Zais, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026
  • Jean’s Beach at the Old Stove Pub The hush-hush purchase of the Old Stove Pub by Max Chodorow had everyone chattering for months.
    — Nancy Kane, Curbed, 25 June 2026
Definition of chattering
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
Definition of stuttering
Verb
  • Feige said, shouting out Holland, Cretton, fellow producer Amy Pascal and distributor Sony Pictures.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The officers began shouting multiple commands simultaneously, creating confusion for Aubrey.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of shouting
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
Definition of mumbling
Verb
  • While drooling during sleep can conjure scary thoughts of a health problem, experts say the habit is nothing to worry about — though there are still certain signs to watch for.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • If your pet is vomiting, drooling, showing weakness or having trouble swallowing or breathing, head directly to a veterinary hospital.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
Definition of drooling
Adjective
  • Onstage, Saint Laurent gives a short thank-you speech in halting English.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The legislation led to the formation of local agencies that are responsible for halting chronic declines in groundwater levels, including by imposing pumping limits and fees.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of halting
Verb
  • O’Connell offered more context while chatting with talk show host Ripa.
    — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026
  • While chatting with Overtime for a video posted on Wednesday, July 29, the Dallas Wings star said would want to swap with Spiderman star Tom Holland.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of chatting

Browse Nearby Words

sputtered
sputtering
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Cite this Entry

“Sputtering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputtering. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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