putter
verb (used without object)
to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner.
puttered
-
past participleof putter.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof putter.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
putterverb (used without object)to busy or occupy oneself in a leisurely, casual, or ineffective manner.
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.
After grabbing items for dinner at a Trader Joe’s, I puttered home along a main drag with a 35 mph limit, fully pressing the pedal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Simson's moped division puttered on after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall but eventually went bust in 2002.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
The previous record was set 90 years ago — only about three decades after the first cars puttered through Yosemite Valley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2023
Things puttered along until Elfster’s big break, which came in 2009: Claire’s hired the company for a Secret Santa campaign.
From Slate ● Dec. 17, 2022
Dad had a contract to build a milking barn in Oneida County, about twenty miles from Buck’s Peak, so Shawn puttered around the yard, adjusting schematics and measuring I-beams.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
