fizzle out

Gradually peter away

Fizzle out means to gradually lose energy or momentum and end weakly.

A firework fizzles when it sputters instead of exploding; metaphorically, enthusiasm, relationships, or movements fizzle out when they fade rather than conclude decisively: The protest fizzled out after a few hours, Their romance fizzled out over the summer.

decline

taper off

Reduce gradually in intensity

die awayDiminish to nothing
fade awayDiminish gradually to nothing
dwindleDecrease gradually over time

wane · ebb · subside · diminish · dissipate · evaporate · trail off · wind down · lose steam · sputter

failure

fall flat

Fail to impress

flopComplete commercial failure
collapseSudden structural failure
bombExplosive device or disaster

founder · misfire · stall · come to nothing · go nowhere · fall through · fall apart · crash and burn · tank · bust

Categories

diminishingabate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, ebb
exhaustionexhaustion, drained, spent, tired, depleted
endingsending, the end, finish, close, final
give outshare, distribute, dispense, issue, fail
hush commandsshh, shhh, ssh, hush up, be silent

Opposites

ending intensity

fizzle outexplode

Burst with sudden force

go out with a bang · blow up · culminate · climax · detonate

energy trajectory

fizzle outbuild up

Grow by increments

intensify · ignite · escalate · heat up · ramp up

success/achievement

fizzle outtake off

Begin flight, depart

flourish · thrive · succeed · blossom · pan out

Family

out, fizz, fizzle, fizzled, fizzling, fizzles

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G