- present participle of sputter.
sputtering
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The director’s moaning score here, supplemented with sputtering engines and clanking chains, underline the movie’s ghost-story vibe — the sense that poor Nick is both alive and dead.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
China’s economy has been sputtering for a years, with consumers especially reluctant to spend, hurting some of those companies.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
GDP rebounded in the first quarter and grew at a solid 2% annual rate after sputtering at the end of last year.
From MarketWatch ● May 2, 2026
But what’s extra notable about the sputtering tech partnerships of the 2020s is how baldly they smack of desperation.
From Slate ● Apr. 16, 2026
He comes up sputtering and shivering, even though he’s wearing a wet suit and scuba goggles, while Sami dances around him and trash-talks.
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
