splutter

The conveyor belt was ready, the empty bottles were stacked and the machinery was about to splutter into life.

From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 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

Story says that with Covid-19, medical staff were looking to avoid non-invasive methods because patients would still cough and splutter, increasing the risk of the virus being transferred to medical staff.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 26, 2020

Only when I'd translated my destination from Catalan did the disembodied voice of the hire car's computerised navigator splutter into life.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2018

Nailer fought the urge to splutter and cough.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

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

“I mean, just look again at these pairings!” splutters Dr Golf, who is on hand all afternoon to monitor your heart-rate, check your blood pressure and monitor your heart-rate.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 6, 2021

"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

Until recently, the Cuban economy spluttered by on cheap supplies of Venezuelan oil.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 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

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

Their dander will be further up than England, who have spluttered both in defeat and victory vs Scotland and Italy respectively.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 26, 2022

‘It’s filthing!’ he spluttered, speaking with his mouth full and spraying large pieces of snozzcumber like bullets in Sophie’s direction.

From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl

The fear is dialled up an extra notch by Byron Bullock's rich sound design, with the music swelling almost unbearably intensely when spluttering nasties stumbled closer.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 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

But in their first game of 2026 they delivered a spluttering display that left them four points adrift of the Gunners.

From Barron's ● Jan. 1, 2026

Governments talk about spending more on defence, while most European economies are spluttering.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2025

A spluttering laugh escaped before Ayanna could stop it, and she rolled her eyes.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia