verb
stammer
STA-muh
verb
1
To speak with involuntary repetitions or pauses, unable to get words out smoothly.
"He stammered an apology before rushing out of the room."
"She stammers when she gets nervous in front of a crowd."
noun
1
A speech pattern marked by involuntary repeated sounds or blocked words.
"He has had a stammer since childhood but rarely lets it hold him back."
How to Use Stammer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo struggle to get words out smoothly, or the speech condition itself.
UK vs US
"Stammer" is the more common British English term; American English tends to prefer "stutter" for the same thing.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
stammered past tense, stammers plural, Stammers plural, stammers singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “stammer”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He _____ an apology before rushing out of the room.
Etymology
From Old English stamerian, related to German stammeln and a distant cousin of the word "stumble."