sputtery
- adjective
- /ˈspʌtəri/
- The engine made a sputtery noise as it struggled to start.
Examples
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The old car made a sputtery sound as it struggled up the hill.
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The candle burned with a sputtery flame in the drafty room.
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Her voice was sputtery after she caught a cold and lost her breath.
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I noticed a sputtery sound coming from the old radio.
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The old car made a sputtery sound as it struggled up the hill.
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The engine made a sputtery noise as it struggled to start.
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I noticed a sputtery sound coming from the old radio.
Synonyms
Making small sharp sounds like dry things breaking or moving
Making a clear clicking sound when pressed
Making harsh rattling noises and moving in a jerky way
Making quick, sharp clicking sounds like old train wheels
A short repeated noise when small parts move, for example in old cars
Making many quick clicking sounds
Antonyms
How Smooth
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Sputtery comes from sputter, a word that copies small popping or spitting sounds, and is related to spit, 'to force out quickly'. So a sputtery engine, candle, or voice makes short, uneven pops because it is working in a rough, irregular way.