# stuttering

Pronunciation: say "STUT-er-ing" /ˈstʌtəɹɪŋ/

## Noun

1. A speech disorder in which the normal flow of speech is broken by involuntary repetitions, drawn-out sounds, or silent blocks where the speaker cannot produce sounds.
   - Simple: A speech problem where someone repeats sounds or words, or gets stuck and cannot get words out.
   - _Years of speech therapy gave him real control over his stuttering._
   - _Childhood stuttering sometimes resolves on its own as a child grows older._
3. A single occurrence of disrupted speech, such as one repeated syllable or one silent block.
   - Simple: A single time when someone's speech gets stuck or repeats a sound.
   - _A brief stuttering interrupted his answer before he regained his rhythm._
   - _The recording captured several stutterings during the tense interview._

## Verb

2. Present participle and gerund of stutter. — present participle and gerund of stutter
   - Simple: Present participle of stutter. Use this -ing form when the action is happening now or going on.
   - _By the end of the toast he was stuttering on almost every word._
   - _Stuttering through the apology, he could barely meet her eyes._

## Adjective

4. Of a person or their speech, marked by involuntary repetitions, prolonged sounds, or blocks while talking.
   - Simple: Used for a person or their speech that keeps getting stuck or repeating sounds.
   - _The stuttering speaker paused often, searching for a smooth start._
   - _His stuttering delivery did not stop the audience from listening closely._
5. Hesitant; proceeding in an uneven, halting way with frequent stops and starts.
   - Simple: Slow and unsure, starting and stopping instead of moving along smoothly.
   - _The economy showed stuttering growth, surging one quarter and stalling the next._
   - _His stuttering attempts at reform never quite gained momentum._

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/stuttering (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).