as in muttering
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as in stuttering
to speak with many pauses and repetitions
He stammers when he's nervous.
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Recent Examples of stammering
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025
The stammering old man is trying to be a Tamburlaine.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Even characters like Lauren Domingue — sweet, stammering, fearful Lauren, who is not boring, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2025
The stammering old man is trying to be a Tamburlaine.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stammering
Verb
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This has provided early confidence that 2026 will be a far cry from that stuttering start 12 years ago.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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The attack ended what had been a stuttering process of bilateral US-Iranian talks designed to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mustafa said as the man trotted down the stairs, mumbling something—a prayer, a curse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Atlanta police officers responding to the scene found Leon sitting on the ground in handcuffs, acting belligerently and attempting to stand while mumbling.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Team,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some signs that the carburetor is clogged on a snow blower are starting then dying a few seconds afterward, jerking, sputtering noises, and black smoke emitting from the exhaust.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
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Wait for the sputtering sound to subside.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Letter writer kept cancer diagnosis private to avoid people’s reactions, but that plan is faltering as illness progresses.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
8 Feb. 2026
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As of Thursday, other digital assets like ether and solana were also down 24% and 26% for the week to date, respectively — a sign investors’ confidence in the entire crypto market is faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This brought back family gossip and hesitant bits of information about my mother’s beloved grandfather, my maternal great-grandfather.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
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That statistic underlines just how hesitant companies have become to acquire indie projects.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The film alternates between Aggressive Songs to Tell You What Emotion to Have and halting, bland narration from the first lady describing her feelings and initiatives.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
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The storm had dropped over a foot of snow across a 1,300-mile swath from Arkansas to New England, halting traffic, canceling thousands of flights and triggering wide school closures Monday.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That’s harder to do in heavy scenes where people talk about their emotions, because real people tend to be inarticulate in these moments.—
Hershal Pandya,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
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Hank’s friends – conspiracy theorist Dale, military barber Bill, and cool but inarticulate Boomhauer, along with Peggy’s friends Minh and meteorologist Nancy, and Bobby’s friend Connie helped the Hills navigate a changing world.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stammering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stammering. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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