splutter
Americanverb (used without object)
-
splutters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
spluttered,
past participle, past
-
spluttering
present participle
-
to talk rapidly and somewhat incoherently, as when confused, excited, or embarrassed.
When pushed for an explanation, he always spluttered.
-
to make a sputtering sound, or emit particles of something explosively, as water dropped onto a hot griddle.
-
to fly or fall in particles or drops; spatter, as a liquid.
verb (used with object)
-
splutters,
present (3rd person singular)
-
spluttered,
past participle, past
-
spluttering
present participle
-
to utter hastily and confusedly or incoherently; sputter.
Out of breath, she spluttered a poor excuse for her lateness.
-
to spatter (a liquid, small particles, etc.).
-
to bespatter (someone or something).
noun
-
spluttering utterance or talk; noise or fuss.
-
a sputtering or spattering, as of liquid.
verb
-
to spit out (saliva, food particles, etc) from the mouth in an explosive manner, as through choking or laughing
-
to utter (words) with spitting sounds, as through rage or choking
-
Also: sputter. to eject or be ejected in an explosive manner
sparks spluttered from the fire
-
(tr) to bespatter (a person) with tiny particles explosively ejected
he spluttered the boy next to him with ink
noun
-
the process or noise of spluttering
-
spluttering incoherent speech, esp in argument
-
anything ejected through spluttering
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
spluttersimple
-
splutterssimple
-
have splutteredperfect
-
has splutteredperfect
-
am splutteringprogressive
-
are splutteringprogressive
-
is splutteringprogressive
-
have been splutteringperfect progressive
-
has been splutteringperfect progressive
Past
-
splutteredsimple
-
had splutteredperfect
-
was splutteringprogressive
-
were splutteringprogressive
-
had been splutteringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of splutter
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some of those waiting in line stayed behind to splutter indignantly and argue their case, to no avail.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2023
Years of record-low rates have fuelled the tech stock rally but with those rates now rising again the appeal of stratospherically-valued tech stocks gets dimmer for investors, especially if their growth trajectories splutter.
From Reuters ● Feb. 21, 2022
In 2004, when Mount St. Helens began to cough and splutter in a concerning manner, Dr. Moran became wrapped up in a surfeit of tasks.
From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2021
Story says that with Covid-19, medical staff were looking to avoid non-invasive methods because patients would still cough and splutter, increasing the risk of the virus being transferred to medical staff.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 26, 2020
I began to splutter in protest, but something shiny caught my attention.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
“Words,” Jeffrey splutters to Khristen, “have enabled us to get no nearer to …” Then he trails off, stunned into silence by the inability of narrative to reckon with the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2021
“I mean, just look again at these pairings!” splutters Dr Golf, who is on hand all afternoon to monitor your heart-rate, check your blood pressure and monitor your heart-rate.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 6, 2021
"Pops? I am only two years older than you," splutters Paterson.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2016
“Everyone is promoting themselves,” Mr. Ahmad splutters later.
From New York Times ● Aug. 6, 2016
She coughs and splutters as settlement men grab the boat to clamber on.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
But while Arsenal have spluttered with two wins from their last seven league games, City are heating up at just the right time.
From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026
Since no one knew who was watching what and when, watercooler chat and even many recap blogs spluttered out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025
Wyman hoped the local population would take proud ownership of the bee in order to protect it, too, but the conversations tailed off, the momentum spluttered, he says.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2022
This, in contrast, was a dreadful display which spluttered throughout, barely getting out of first gear and rarely giving Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson an anxious moment.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2021
“Gad, sir! Gad, sir!” spluttered the Skookum Bench king.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
To end arguments about intergenerational equity, we need to work out how to restart the growth engine that has been spluttering.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
Perhaps the spluttering German economy and its current thirst for US energy were on Merz's mind.
From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026
But in their first game of 2026 they delivered a spluttering display that left them four points adrift of the Gunners.
From Barron's ● Jan. 1, 2026
The spluttering champions fell behind in the 33rd minute when Murillo's fierce strike punished their failure to deal with Elliot Anderson's corner.
From Barron's ● Nov. 22, 2025
From the food stalls came the spluttering of ghee and oil as bread and pancakes were fried, ready for the early worshippers who would soon be coming.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
