sputtering: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal for technical/scientific use; informal for conversational use describing speech or sounds.
Quick answer
What does “sputtering” mean?
To make a series of soft explosive or popping sounds, like something frying lightly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make a series of soft explosive or popping sounds, like something frying lightly; to speak in a rapid, confused, and explosive way when excited or angry.
1. In physics/engineering: A process where particles are ejected from a solid target material due to bombardment by high-energy particles, used for thin-film deposition. 2. To proceed or continue in an irregular, faltering, and declining manner, often towards an end (e.g., an engine, a conversation, or a campaign).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical difference. The technical sense is identical. In everyday descriptions, UK English might slightly favour 'spluttering' as a near-synonym for the speech-related meaning.
Connotations
Equally negative for describing incoherent speech or failing machinery in both dialects. The technical term is neutral.
Frequency
The technical term has high frequency in engineering/physics contexts globally. The everyday usage is moderate and similar in frequency across dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “sputtering” in a Sentence
[Subject] sputters (with [Emotion])[Subject] sputters [Direct Speech][Subject] sputters [Prepositional Phrase (e.g., to a halt/stop/end)][Process] sputters [Particle] onto [Surface]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sputtering” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The ancient boiler sputtered alarmingly before the radiators grew warm.
- "But that's preposterous!" he sputtered, his face turning crimson.
American English
- The old pickup truck sputtered and died on the highway shoulder.
- She sputtered an apology, completely lost for words.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically: 'The merger talks began sputtering after the market downturn.'
Academic
Used technically in materials science: 'The thin film was deposited via magnetron sputtering.'
Everyday
Used for sounds or speech: 'The old car was sputtering and smoking.' 'He was sputtering excuses for being late.'
Technical
Precise term for a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique in manufacturing and physics.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sputtering”
- Confusing 'sputtering' (irregular popping) with 'stuttering' (speech impediment).
- Using it for a smooth, continuous sound.
- Misspelling as 'spluttering' (though they are close synonyms).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are largely interchangeable for the core meanings of making explosive sounds or speaking incoherently. 'Spluttering' might be slightly more common for speech involving surprise or indignation, while 'sputtering' is the fixed term for the technical physical process.
Yes, it vividly describes someone speaking in a quick, confused, and explosive manner, typically because they are angry, shocked, or flustered.
In everyday use, yes, as it describes failure, incoherence, or irregularity. In technical/scientific contexts, it is a neutral term for a standard industrial process.
Use it to indicate the machine is operating unevenly and about to stop: 'The lawnmower gave a few sputtering revs before it cut out completely.'
To make a series of soft explosive or popping sounds, like something frying lightly.
Sputtering is usually formal for technical/scientific use; informal for conversational use describing speech or sounds. in register.
Sputtering: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspʌtərɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sputtering to a halt”
- “sputtering into life”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a sputtering candle: it SPUTs out light in an uneven, hesitant way. The word itself sounds like the short, sharp, uneven pops it describes.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF CONTROL IS MECHANICAL FAILURE (e.g., a sputtering argument); INCOHERENCE IS A FAULTY ENGINE (e.g., sputtering an apology).
Practice
Quiz
In a materials science lab, 'sputtering' most likely refers to: