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to fizzle out

to fizzle out

8 5.3
To gradually lose energy or interest and end weakly
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈfɪzəl aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : desvanecerse
  • Her enthusiasm for the project seemed to fizzle out after the initial excitement wore off.
  • it just fizzled out
  • it soon fizzled out
  • it fizzled out quickly

So why do why do child prodigies fizzle out?

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Examples

  • If this thing is of men, it will fizzle out, like so many movements have before it.

    Blog text (16)
  • I was under the impression that research on NLP fizzled out years ago due to disappointing results.

    Blog text (21)
  • In other words, some connection might happen real quick, but also might fizzle out real quick.

  • Which is one pretty good reason the collection fizzled out.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Many patterns just fizzle out, but a few keep growing forever.

  • Most online businesses fizzle out -- let's do something about that.

    Blog text (24)
  • They failed, they fizzled out, they were rejected.

  • That's just going to fizzle out very, very slowly and then just die a death.

  • Maintain long-term investments instead of getting caught up in flash-in-the-pan options that may fizzle out very quickly.

    Blog text (1)
  • Ultimately, the demands of the Pentecostals that the sculptures be removed were not met, and the controversy fizzled out.

    Academic text (2009)

Synonyms

to fade
vsto fizzle out
531 1.2

To slowly become less visible, bright, or loud

frames that loss as ending disappointingly rather than merely fading
to dwindle
vsto fizzle out
72 5.1

To become smaller or less in number over time

specifies that the decrease leads to a weak, unsatisfying conclusion
to fade away
vsto fizzle out
69 3.0

To become weaker and then disappear over time

adds the idea of a weak, underwhelming ending after strong start
to fall off
vsto fizzle out
49 2.6

Become less in number, amount, or quality

stresses that the drop ends in a disappointing or weak way
to falter
vsto fizzle out
48 4.9

To lose confidence, strength, or determination and become less able to continue

focuses on a loss that leads to a disappointing end after early strength
to wane
vsto fizzle out
48 6.4

To become less in size, amount, or strength

marks the decline as ending weakly after an initially strong phase
to die down
vsto fizzle out
46 2.7

To become less strong or loud over time

highlights a disappointing or weak ending after initial strong effort
to fizzle
vsto fizzle out
  • Informal
27 5.6

To end in a weak or disappointing way after a promising start

has identical meaning but occurs as a phrasal form
to fall away
vsto fizzle out
19 4.3

To become less in amount or quality

highlights the final weak ending after starting off strongly
to peter out
vsto fizzle out
9 5.6

To slowly become weaker and then stop

emphasizes a weak, disappointing finish after beginning strongly
to taper off
vsto fizzle out
9 4.5

To become smaller or weaker over time until it stops

points to a decline that ends disappointingly after beginning strongly
to die away
vsto fizzle out
8 4.2

To become quieter and then stop

stresses that the decline ends in a weak, unsatisfying finish
to run out of steam
vsto fizzle out
  • Informal
6 4.8

To lose energy or enthusiasm and stop working well

focuses on losing drive after a strong start leading to a weak end
to slack off
vsto fizzle out
  • Informal
3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

adds that the loss results in a weak, unsatisfying finish after strong start
to ebb off
vsto fizzle out
6.5

To flow back or become less strong slowly

portrays the retreat as ending disappointingly after an energetic start

Antonyms

846 2.0

To reach a goal after trying hard

116 4.1

To grow strongly and be healthy or successful

How Strong

collapse
350 4.1
to fizzle out
  • Informal
8 5.3
to peter out
9 5.6
to fade away
69 3.0
to die away
8 4.2

Surface Forms

fizzle out infinitive
fizzling out present participle
fizzles out third person singular
fizzled out past participle

Morphology

fizzle + out

The verb 'fizzle' already encodes the idea of losing momentum or ending weakly, and the particle 'out' contributes a sense of completion/cessation, so the overall meaning is largely derivable from the parts. However, because this is a phrasal-verb pattern where the particle adds nuance and 'fizzle' is a relatively low-frequency verb, the exact nuance may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without some exposure.

Etymology

Fizzle out comes from the image of a weak firework or match that makes a soft hissing called a fizz and then dies without a bang. That's why it means 'to slowly lose energy and end in a weak or disappointing way'.