sputtering

[spuht-er-ing]

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.

Other Word Forms

• unsputtering adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sputtering¹

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

Example Sentences

But throughout Hollywood, mega-franchises that once fueled the industry are sputtering.

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Both offenses are sputtering and turnovers likely will decide the outcome.

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In the study, the researchers wrote that “while efforts to slow climate change may be sputtering,” people urgently need to take steps to preserve groundwater.

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Their offense has gone from leading the majors in scoring over the first half of the season, to suddenly sputtering over the last month and a half.

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Ron Washington took a page out of the characterized version of himself from the 2011 film “Moneyball” when asked about how difficult it would be to revive the Angels’ sputtering offense.

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