peter out

Idioms  

1. Dwindle or diminish and come to an end, as in Their enthusiasm soon petered out. The origin of this usage is unknown, but one authority suggests it may refer to the apostle Peter, whose enthusiastic support of Jesus quickly diminished so that he denied knowing him three times during the night after Jesus's arrest. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

Those reports are starting to peter out now, but they could still move markets.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

While most experts are predicting this hantavirus outbreak will peter out, it’s not the kind of prediction you want to be wrong about either.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

Economists predict the current wave of inflation is likely to peter out later in the year, but they are uncertain as to when and by how much.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

“I know a lot of folks have said, ‘Hey, that’s going to peter out.’

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

Finally, a good five minutes later when the conversation began to peter out, Isabelle turned her blue eyes on Dimple.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• abate
• die out
• ebb
• evaporate
• fade
• recede
• tail away
• tail off
• wane