fizzle

American  

[fiz-uhl] / ˈfɪz əl /

verb (used without object)

fizzled, fizzling

1. to make a hissing or sputtering sound, especially one that dies out weakly.

2. Informal. to fail ignominiously after a good start (often followed byout ).

   The reform movement fizzled out because of poor leadership.

   Synonyms:

   founder, collapse, miscarry

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noun

1. a fizzling, hissing, or sputtering.

2. Informal. a failure; fiasco.

fizzle British  

/ ˈfɪzəl /

verb

1. to make a hissing or bubbling sound

2. informal (often foll by out) to fail or die out, esp after a promising start

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noun

1. a hissing or bubbling sound; fizz

2. informal an outright failure; fiasco

Etymology

Origin of fizzle

1525–35; earlier fysel to break wind, frequentative of *fise < Old Norse fīsa to break wind; akin to feist

Example Sentences

Southern California has provided some recent examples of swarms that ultimately fizzled out.

From Los Angeles Times

Today the dictionary disputes seem to have largely fizzled out, the pitched battles over lexicography having succumbed to a weary war of consumerist attrition.

From The Wall Street Journal

A star quarterback fizzles, a new hire doesn’t work out—and so it’s back to the basics.

From Barron's

White, there were preliminary discussions reportedly led by Brussels and Kuala Lumpur about coordinated international responses, these overtures fizzled out.

From Barron's

The NFT art boom has since largely fizzled, but Beeple has survived in part by weaving digital elements into pieces that exist in real life.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abort
• misfire
• peter out
• wane