splutter

Peaks stretch far into the distance and the volunteer delivery vans lumber and splutter over orange dirt roads, passing vertiginous drops.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2023

Years of record-low rates have fuelled the tech stock rally but with those rates now rising again the appeal of stratospherically-valued tech stocks gets dimmer for investors, especially if their growth trajectories splutter.

From Reuters ● Feb. 21, 2022

In 2004, when Mount St. Helens began to cough and splutter in a concerning manner, Dr. Moran became wrapped up in a surfeit of tasks.

From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2021

Certainly, it’s true that for those who once motored on, constantly producing cosily banal content every day for content’s sake, the machine has started to splutter.

From The Guardian ● May 2, 2020

Then all at once, Tweedie gave a great cough and a splutter and he sat up very fast and began clawing at his face with his hands.

From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl

A third splutters in a bathtub covered in dusky handprints.

From New York Times ● Jun. 29, 2023

“Words,” Jeffrey splutters to Khristen, “have enabled us to get no nearer to …” Then he trails off, stunned into silence by the inability of narrative to reckon with the world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2021

“Of course!” he splutters, now in full steam.

From The Guardian ● Dec. 9, 2020

"Pops? I am only two years older than you," splutters Paterson.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2016

Mom splutters something, and it's the man who answers. "... reports of lights on late at night... the missing boy's room."

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements

But while Arsenal have spluttered with two wins from their last seven league games, City are heating up at just the right time.

From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026

Since no one knew who was watching what and when, watercooler chat and even many recap blogs spluttered out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2025

While Celtic have spluttered, Rangers have motored since Philippe Clement took charge.

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2023

Wyman hoped the local population would take proud ownership of the bee in order to protect it, too, but the conversations tailed off, the momentum spluttered, he says.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2022

It was icy cold; and they spluttered and puffed as they bathed their faces and hands.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Perhaps the spluttering German economy and its current thirst for US energy were on Merz's mind.

From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026

City weren't at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.

From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026

Liverpool were punished for their spluttering start in the 17th minute when Raul Jimenez's pass beat the Fulham offside trap.

From Barron's ● Jan. 4, 2026

But that motor is spluttering, to put it mildly.

From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2024

That was when we both heard the sound of spluttering.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo