To splutter means to make quick, spitting sounds while speaking, often when you're flustered, angry, or trying to talk too fast. Picture someone so surprised or indignant that words come tumbling out in messy bursts: “I... you... that's not... how dare you!” That's spluttering.

The word captures both the sound and the emotion. When your teacher accuses you of something you didn't do, you might splutter in protest, your words coming out in a jumbled rush as you try to defend yourself. A car engine can also splutter, coughing and popping instead of running smoothly, which gives you a sense of how human spluttering sounds: interrupted, uneven, and a bit explosive.

People often splutter when they're caught off guard or feel something is outrageously unfair. You might splutter with indignation when your sibling blames you for something they actually did, or splutter in confusion when you receive completely unexpected news. The word suggests a loss of composure: smooth, confident speech has broken down into something choppy and chaotic.