splurthering

Definition

verb \ ˈsplər-thər-ing\

1. The act of spewing nonsense, half‑truths, or misleading statements in a way that furthers one’s own personal agenda, often with manipulative or nefarious intent.

2. More broadly, any rhetorical maneuver in which noise is substituted for substance to obscure truth, derail dialogue, or manufacture false legitimacy.

Etymology

Formed from the expressive English cluster spl- (suggesting messy or uncontrolled bursts, as in splatter, splutter, splat) combined with the verbal pattern of blathering and sputtering, evoking chaotic or deceptive speech. Coined by David R. Koenig (2026).

Usage Notes

• Often applied in governance, politics, and organizational life to describe tactics that cloud accountability or distort shared understanding.
• Conveys both intent (self‑serving) and method (nonsense as a tool).
• Useful as a diagnostic term in politics, risk governance, communication ethics, and narrative analysis.

Example Sentences

• The board meeting devolved into splurthering once the weak proposal met real scrutiny.
• Rather than answer the question, he resorted to splurthering to distract from the underlying issue.
• That man is a splurthering idiot!
• Effective governance requires the courage to call out splurthering wherever it appears.

Related Terms

• gaslighting — psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their perception.
• sealioning — persistent, bad‑faith requests for evidence.
• blathering — talking foolishly at length (lacks the agenda-driven element).
• obfuscation — deliberate obscuring of meaning.

splurthering by DRKoenig January 6, 2026

spluttering 

when you walk ungracefully or un co-ordinatedly usually using lots of hand gestures and/or just doing something in an awkward kind of way

"oh my god laura you you keep spluttering past jack lister."

"oh, how embarrassing."

spluttering by hayden595 March 1, 2008

lips-spluttering dissent

A super-strongly-expressed declining/disagreeing gesture, involving tightly shutting one's eyes and shaking one's head back and forth so rapidly/forcefully that one's cheeks/lips waggle violently from side to side; this is often accompanied by exhaling/humming so as to produce a loud rhythmic burbling sound as the head is shaken. Most often used by younger children, though adults may occasionally display the gesture, especially in regards to a topic that they feel extra-emotionally-charged about.

School menu-advisor, interviewing a new kindergarten student to learn his food-preferences: So you like oatmeal with milk and raisins okay... that's good... well, then, how about buckwheat cereal?
Youngster, assuming a horrified facial-expression and almost turning green before scrunching up his face and vigorously shaking his head: Wvvbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl-vbwlvbl!
School menu-advisor, amusedly marking "no" on the list of cafeteria-selections: Okay --- MAJOR lips-spluttering dissent on THAT one!

lips-spluttering dissent by QuacksO December 5, 2017