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.

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

With the June primary looming, Villaraigosa’s campaign risks sputtering out.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

The private-credit engine that powered massive growth on Wall Street is sputtering, with investors trying to pull money out of big funds, forcing firms into uncomfortable decisions and endangering their future profits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Whether it's been age profile, a creaking scrum, a sputtering attack, the unsettled fly-half situation or a British and Irish Lions hangover, most of the discussion has been largely negative.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

With each step, the stairs illuminate one by one, a purple-blue light sputtering to life.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera