sputtering

American  

[spuht-er-ing] / ˈspʌt ər ɪŋ /

noun

1. Engineering, Electronics. a process that uses ions of an inert gas to dislodge atoms from the surface of a crystalline material, the atoms then being electrically deposited to form an extremely thin coating on a glass, metal, plastic, or other surface.

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Other Word Forms

• unsputtering adjective

Etymology

Origin of sputtering

First recorded in 1900–05; sputter + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

But what’s extra notable about the sputtering tech partnerships of the 2020s is how baldly they smack of desperation.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

In 2023, Authentic put the SI name on Lunatix, a sputtering ticket marketplace.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

While going rather easy on King George, Ms. Worsley is dismayed by the strategy of her antecedents, whose tactics often seemed calculated to fan the sputtering flames of rebellion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

While the jet-fuel and fertilizer narrative is a nice contrast to sputtering airline stocks, regulatory changes at home, rather than supply disruptions in the Middle East, are what have analysts on Wall Street most excited.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

She felt naked as she began to wrap it around herself, like a bird plucked of its feathers—all goosebumpy skin and trembling bones and frail, sputtering heart.

From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu