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sputter

sputter

1 7.0
A short angry sound made while trying to speak
  • noun
  • /ˈspʌtər/
translation icon : balbuceo
  • She remembers splashing in the bathtub when she was four, going sputter sputter with her mouth in imitation of the car engine's whir.

Examples

  • I can see Amie's subtle, appropriate sneer when she finds herself sleepless, watching the television sputter and chat.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • He disappeared in a sputter of rage; she never saw him.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Clearing his throat, Badginski coughed, a short sputter.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The conversation quickly turned heated, resulting in a sputter of angry words that left everyone uncomfortable.

  • His explanation came out in a sputter, clearly showing his frustration and excitement about the topic.

  • With a sputter of frustration, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the ongoing delays in the project.

Synonyms

splutter
vssputter
7.9

A short, broken sound made by a person's voice when angry or confused

is used for speech with popping sounds when angry or excited

How Forceful

to shout
644 1.0
sputter
1 7.0
murmur
36 4.1
whisper
110 1.0

Surface Forms

sputter singular
sputters plural

Etymology

Sputter comes from the sound of small spitting or popping and is related to the simple words spit and spatter. Think of someone 'spitting' out words in short, broken bursts, which is why a sputter can mean a quick, angry or surprised utterance.