splutter
verb · noun
Simple meaning
Of a thing: to forcefully emit something.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
spluhterSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈsplʌtɚ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
intransitive
Of a thing: to forcefully emit something, especially in small drops or particles.
intransitive
To make a sound or sounds of something forcefully emitting a substance in small drops or particles.
intransitive
To spray droplets of saliva from the mouth while eating or speaking.
transitive
To soil or sprinkle (someone or something) with a substance, often a liquid; to bespatter, to spatter.
intransitivefiguratively
To speak hurriedly, and confusedly or unclearly.
transitivefiguratively
To direct angry words, criticism, insults, etc., at (someone or something).
noun
countable
A forceful emission of something, especially in small drops or particles; a spluttering or sputtering.
countable
A forceful choking or spitting sound.
figurativelyuncountable
Chaotic and forceful speaking, verbal exchange, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.
figurativelycountable
A disagreement or dispute.
figurativelycountable
A noisy commotion.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Typical Use
- Rare
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Of a thing: to forcefully emit something, especially in small drops or particles.
Used this way, splutter is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: forceful emission of something
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.