sputtering

[ spuht-er-ing ]

noun

1. Engineering, Electronics. a process that uses ions of an inert gas to dislodge atoms from the surface of a crystalline material, the atoms then being electrically deposited to form an extremely thin coating on a glass, metal, plastic, or other surface.

Other Words From

• un·sputter·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sputtering¹

First recorded in 1900–05; sputter + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

As a result, he dominated news coverage, looking bolder and badder than ever and leaving the Democrats looking like sputtering, defensive, fact-checking, umbrage-filled morality police.

From Salon

The star quarterback completed 20 of 32 passes and was again the steadying force for the sputtering offense that struggled with protection up front and punted a season-high three times in the first quarter.

From Los Angeles Times

The fact that the Chargers have kept games close despite their sputtering offense is a testament to the defensive makeover under first-year coordinator Jesse Minter.

From Los Angeles Times

Once again, the Trojans found themselves forced to overcome a sputtering start and hope for the best after halftime, exactly the sort of circumstances they’d set out this week to avoid.

From Los Angeles Times

A common theme of the Dodgers’ recent postseason failings has been high-powered lineups sputtering in surprise playoff eliminations.

From Los Angeles Times