stalling out
Losing all momentum
Stalling out describes an engine dying from insufficient power or fuel, or a process losing momentum and stopping before completion.
A car stalls out at a red light; a career stalls out when advancement ceases.
The phrase emphasizes the gradual failure—not a sudden stop but a sputtering loss of forward motion: The project stalled out after funding dried up.
- stagnatingCeasing to develop
- losing steamDeclining in energy or force
- languishingGrowing weak, losing vigor
- treading waterStaying afloat vertically
- going nowhereLacking progress or direction
stuck in neutral · indecision · dead end · hitting a wall · procrastination · recession · self-doubt · overthinking · burnout · power outage · bottleneck · spinning wheels · spinning your wheels · resource depletion · grinding to a halt · mental fatigue · running on empty · running out of gas
stalling outidling
Operating without working
revving · firing on all cylinders · starting up · revving up · purring
stalling outpicking up steam
Increasing in momentum
accelerating · picking up speed · taking off · advancing · moving forward
stall, stalling, stalled, stalls, outing, outings, outermost