Stutter

/ˈstʌtər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A speech disorder characterized by involuntary halting or repetition of sounds.

His stutter often made him self-conscious during presentations.

An instance of stuttering.

She experienced a stutter while trying to introduce herself.

verb

To speak with involuntary pauses and repetitions of sounds, often due to a speech disorder.

He tends to stutter when he is nervous or under pressure.

To speak in a halting or repetitive manner.

She tried to explain her idea but could only stutter out a few words.

Middle English 'stutten', of uncertain origin.

to stutter in speech

to have difficulty speaking fluently.

stutter like a broken record

to repeat phrases or sounds ineffectively.

stammer

To speak with involuntary breaks or repetitions in sounds.

fluency

The ability to express oneself easily and articulately.

To stumble over words when speaking.

I totally stuttered during my presentation.

To have difficulty getting words out.

He stuttered hard when he tried to ask her out.