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

---

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

---

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

Explanation

When something fizzles, it ends in a slow, sad way. Your bake sale may get off to a great start, only to fizzle once you've sold all the brownies and are left with nothing but oatmeal raisin cookies. The word fizzle has two uses — first, for talking about a failure or disappointment. Your party is a fizzle if no one shows up, and your cheerfulness is bound to fizzle after an experience like that. The second meaning is a hissing or sputtering sound, just like the word itself sounds — like the fizzle of a backyard firework or the fizzle of static on the radio as you switch stations.

Example Sentences

A lot of young sporting prodigies tend to fizzle out, but - despite a slow start to the Premier League season - Littler appears to be going from strength to strength.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

But the sizzle soon turned into a fizzle.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

Retail investors who understand these narratives may spot momentum earlier, but must also be prepared for abrupt reversals when the stories fizzle.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 2, 2025

People will leave talking about the ending, although it’s a bit of a fizzle — a tense shrug.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2025

What would have been a minor fizzle in Earth's atmosphere became an uncontrolled conflagration in the container's pure oxygen environment.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• abort
• misfire
• peter out
• wane