as in shouted
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as in drooled
to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and usually unintelligibly
she was so shocked that, for a moment, all she could do was sputter
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Recent Examples of sputtered
CBS News, 2 May 2026
The museum’s original buildings, designed by William Pereira and completed in 1965, sputtered soon after opening.
—Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026
But Brown has seemed to often be frustrated by his role in the team’s offense, which continued last fall as his production dipped and the offense as a whole sputtered.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Judge Dredd has two movies of varying quality, but attempts to follow the 2012 version with a TV show appear to have sputtered out.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
In 2025, Valanciunas was traded twice and finished the season with the Sacramento Kings, who sputtered in the Play-In.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
The Blue Jackets had sputtered along offensively for more than two weeks, scoring only 16 goals during a 2-7-1 tailspin that knocked them out of a playoff spot.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Melton sputtered in his previous five games.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
On the bedside table, my phone sputtered awake.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
While first-year coach Dan Muse — a finalist for the Jack Adams award as the NHL's Coach of the Year — won raves for his positivity and meticulous preparation, the league's third-highest scoring team also sputtered while falling into a 3-0 hole to the Flyers.
—CBS News, 2 May 2026
The museum’s original buildings, designed by William Pereira and completed in 1965, sputtered soon after opening.
—Bloomberg, 24 Apr. 2026
But Brown has seemed to often be frustrated by his role in the team’s offense, which continued last fall as his production dipped and the offense as a whole sputtered.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Judge Dredd has two movies of varying quality, but attempts to follow the 2012 version with a TV show appear to have sputtered out.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
In 2025, Valanciunas was traded twice and finished the season with the Sacramento Kings, who sputtered in the Play-In.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
The Blue Jackets had sputtered along offensively for more than two weeks, scoring only 16 goals during a 2-7-1 tailspin that knocked them out of a playoff spot.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Melton sputtered in his previous five games.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
On the bedside table, my phone sputtered awake.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sputtered
Adjective
-
This blend of styles is not only about presenting contrasts—clean versus shouted vocals, melodic versus dissonant riffs, headbanging versus moshing—but also preserving the murky in-between that only elevates the extreme.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For years, college coaches and NBA scouts have drooled over the potential of Stokes, a likely 2027 lottery pick.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Keong says these pillow protectors slide easily over her puffiest pillows, wash up well at the laundromat, and help prevent her new pillows from getting too drooled-on to be presentable for overnight guests.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The two lovebirds chattered on happily about the book.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Clancy then walked in from behind the stage, carrying a bouquet of flowers as the students chattered.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Children hoisted high on shoulders, retirees on morning strolls and hundreds of others at Lincoln Park Zoo chatted in anticipation of seeing a baby rhinoceros’ first public appearance yesterday morning.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The two men, who were flanked by their wives, chatted during the parade, which was capped with a flyover of four F-35 military jets.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As for one consistent complaint heard muttered amid bleary-eyed guests of the former Standard, Schrager confirms the appropriate adjustments have been made.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
-
But the other 3%, often muttered by students prospectively examining transfer applications, is distinct.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His wraparound, tight-quarters assist on a Keshad Johnson dunk in the second half breathed fire into the lungs of the home crowd.—
Bryce Miller Columnist,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Nov. 2021
Verb
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Spirit Airlines, the scrappy discounter that once rattled the industry with cheeky ads and rock-bottom fares, took its final flight after 34 years of upending the business of flying.—
Bernard Condon,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Her sudden disappearance in 1991 rattled residents of Granite Bay, a suburb of Sacramento where the 35-year-old mother of two had gone to clean her sister’s home, investigators said.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
Adjective
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No photograph could catch the smell drifting from the nearby military barracks and Indian camps; capture the murmured swirl of French, English, Arapaho, and Lakota; or let a viewer feel the colliding anxieties and expectations that hung heavy over negotiations like this.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sputtered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sputtered. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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