stammer
Americanverb (used without object)
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stammers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
stammered,
past participle, past
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stammering
present participle
verb (used with object)
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stammers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
stammered,
past participle, past
-
stammering
present participle
noun
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stammers
plural
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a stammering mode of utterance.
-
a stammered utterance.
verb
noun
Usage
What does stammer mean? To stammer is to speak with involuntary breaks or pauses or involuntarily repeated words or parts of words. In text, it is often represented with hyphens, as in s-s-s-safe to represent a struggle to pronounce the s- sound. A stammer is a way of speaking with a stammer, as in Kim spoke with a stammer, but it didn’t define him. To stammer is also to say something with a stammer, as in Lawrence was so nervous during his presentation that he stammered out the first part of his speech. Stutter is a synonym of stammer and is preferred in technical usage. Example: Everytime we have to present to the board, I get so nervous that I start to stammer.
Synonym Usage
Stammer, stutter mean to speak with some form of difficulty. Stammer, the general term, suggests a speech disfluency that results in broken or inarticulate sounds and sometimes in complete stoppage of speech; it may be temporary, caused by sudden excitement, confusion, embarrassment, or other emotion, or it may be persistent and require speech therapy for its correction. Stutter, the parallel term preferred in technical usage, designates a broad range of speech production disturbances that produce spasmodic interruptions of the speech rhythm, repetitions, or prolongations of sounds or syllables: The child's stutter was no mere stammer of embarrassment.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stammersimple
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stammerssimple
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have stammeredperfect
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has stammeredperfect
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am stammeringprogressive
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are stammeringprogressive
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is stammeringprogressive
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have been stammeringperfect progressive
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has been stammeringperfect progressive
Past
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stammeredsimple
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had stammeredperfect
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was stammeringprogressive
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were stammeringprogressive
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had been stammeringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of stammer
First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb stammeren, Old English stamerian (cognate with German stammern ), equivalent to stam “stammering” + -erian -er 6; akin to Old Norse stamma “to stammer,” Gothic stams “stammering”
Explanation
To stammer — or to have a stammer — is to speak haltingly and to have trouble getting the words out. A stammer is also called a "stutter." Stammering (or stuttering) has a couple of related meanings. A stammer is a serious problem for some people who have great difficulty speaking. They have trouble getting the words out, and their language does not flow. They might get stuck repeating one sound over and over again. This is a difficult problem to overcome. However, we all stammer sometimes, often because we're confused, scared, tired, or unsure of what to say.
Vocabulary lists containing stammer
"My Favorite Chaperone," Vocabulary from the short story
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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Achievement First 6th Grade IA 1 Words
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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:
Hansen would then make a dramatic entrance and interrogate the men, who would often stammer and bumble through the encounter before leaving.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Now, Gellar has made a more ceremonious return, albeit with a frustrating stop-and-start stammer.
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2026
The hairdresser doesn't feel her game was impacted by her stammer as the other contestants would be patient and allow her to speak her mind.
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2026
Ahead of entering the game, Jessie said having a stammer has helped her be "an authentic person" because she cannot hide it.
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2026
She says, askingly, "We thought Neutral Milk Hotel was playing?" and I look down and say, "Me—" I stammer for a second, and then say "too. I'm here for them, too."
From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan
"I've had lots of people with stammers reach out, which is just really nice," says Jessie.
From BBC ● Jan. 19, 2026
Britt stammers in response: “I don’t always—you know, yes, I cook Sunday nights for dinner, but I was about to say, I don’t always crush it.”
From Slate ● Dec. 18, 2025
“I know what it means to be cold and hungry,” Hackman stammers as his Harold the blind man ushers Peter Boyle’s monster into his shack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025
“I … I … I can’t ….go to work,” one stammers in German.
From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2024
“Uh, that’s not what I meant...that’s not...,” he stammers.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
The clip showed influencer Jessie Yendle struggling to pronounce a sound as she stammered, before the repetition transitioned into the start of a popular TikTok dance track playing over footage of striker Serhou Guirassy.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2025
“I don’t think the American people are watching and thinking any of these people won,” Watters stammered out.
From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2024
Often speaking in Tajik through a translator, he answered questions about his biography quietly and stammered, according to Mediazona.
From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2024
Then, after he thanked his family, his co-workers, and HBO, the internet’s favorite bachelor daddy stammered, “I’m going to have a panic attack and I’m going to leave.”
From Salon ● Feb. 25, 2024
“Oh! I—I cannot come to the thicket today,” he stammered.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Smith, as you might expect, was confused by this line of questioning, stammering that he didn’t recall attending any Hawks games.
From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026
Do you enjoy squirming and stammering while Mr. Oldman gives you grief?
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Frazier’s natural skill as an “Entertainment Tonight” host helped smooth the transitions to Malkin’s stammering and distracting voice, but their worthless gushing detracted from the moment.
From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2026
After one of his sketches, the actual Sid Caesar might ever so briefly, in a stammering voice, appear before a commercial break to say: “We’ll be right back.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Barely could talk to a girl without stammering.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
