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:
Peaks stretch far into the distance and the volunteer delivery vans lumber and splutter over orange dirt roads, passing vertiginous drops.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2023
The conveyor belt was ready, the empty bottles were stacked and the machinery was about to splutter into life.
From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2023
The story begins to splutter with some perfunctory, poorly executed scenes of Thor tagging along with the Guardians of the Galaxy, allowing Chris Pratt, David Bautista, Karen Gillan and others to cash a quick paycheck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2022
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
There was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
A third splutters in a bathtub covered in dusky handprints.
From New York Times ● Jun. 29, 2023
“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
“Of course!” he splutters, now in full steam.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 9, 2020
"Pops? I am only two years older than you," splutters Paterson.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2016
She coughs and splutters as settlement men grab the boat to clamber on.
From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell
Until recently, the Cuban economy spluttered by on cheap supplies of Venezuelan oil.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 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
While Celtic have spluttered, Rangers have motored since Philippe Clement took charge.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2023
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
“Of course I’m sure!” spluttered the old man excitedly.
From "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl
The fear is dialled up an extra notch by Byron Bullock's rich sound design, with the music swelling almost unbearably intensely when spluttering nasties stumbled closer.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
His unconvincing defence of Tottenham's spluttering display against Brentford will hardly win him many converts from the doubters.
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
But that motor is spluttering, to put it mildly.
From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2024
As Ron and Hermione emerged, spluttering and gasping, from the depths of the lake, the dragon flew on, its wings beating hard, and landed at last on a distant bank.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
