Meaning & use
stutter
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To have trouble speaking smoothly, repeating or stretching sounds or pausing before words.
Grammar: No object when it describes the habit, but with an object it means to say something haltingly: he stuttered an apology.
Patterns
- stutter out something
- stutter over a word
He stuttered when he was nervous but spoke clearly with friends.
She stuttered an apology and hurried away.
The boy stuttered over his first name.
verbintransitivefigurative
To move, run or work in jerky, stop-and-start bursts.
Grammar: Used for engines, lights or progress.
Patterns
- stutter along
- stutter to a halt
The old engine stuttered and died on the hill.
The recovery has stuttered since January.
The lights stuttered before the power went out.
nounsingularmedical
A speech difference in which sounds or syllables are repeated or blocked.
Grammar: Usually singular with a: he has a stutter.
Patterns
- have a stutter
- overcome a stutter
He worked with a therapist to manage his stutter.
Her stutter nearly vanished when she sang.
A stutter does not affect how smart someone is.
Word forms
| third person singular | stutters |
|---|---|
| past tense | stuttered |
| past participle | stuttered |
| -ing form | stuttering |
| plural noun | stutters |
Common combinations
- stutter over words
- She stuttered over the longer words.
- a slight stutter
- He has a slight stutter that appears under stress.
- stutter out an excuse
- He stuttered out an excuse and left.
- overcome a stutter
- Many famous speakers have overcome a stutter.
- stutter to a halt
- The talks stuttered to a halt.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stammer
- Stammer means almost the same thing but is more common in British English.
- falter
- Falter describes losing confidence or strength in speech or action, not repeated sounds.
- splutter
- Splutter suggests spitting out words in anger or confusion, whereas stutter is about repeated sounds.
Opposites
Word family
- stuttering noun
- the condition of speaking with repeats and pauses
- stutterer noun
- a person who stutters
- stuttered adjective
- said in a halting way
Commonly confused: stutter or stammer?
stutter vs stammer
Stammer is a near-synonym used more in the UK, while stutter is the usual American word.
Practice
Which sentence uses stutter in its figurative sense?
Choose one answer.
The car sentence describes jerky movement, not speech. The other three all concern speaking.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stutter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.