Definition

1. Verb:

   • To make a weak, hissing or sputtering sound: To produce a soft, sizzling noise, often associated with something losing energy or failing.
   • To fail or end feebly after a promising start: To gradually lose strength, momentum, or effectiveness and conclude in a disappointing or insignificant way.

2. Noun:

   • A weak, hissing sound: A fricative or sputtering noise.
   • A complete failure, especially one that is feeble or anticlimactic: An event or effort that ends weakly or unsuccessfully.

Examples

• Verb:
  • The firework fizzled on the wet ground instead of exploding.
  • Their initial enthusiasm for the project fizzled after a few weeks.
• Noun:
  • We heard a faint fizzle from the faulty wire.
  • The much-hyped product launch turned out to be a total fizzle.

Advanced Usage

• "to fizzle out": This is the most common phrasal verb form, meaning to gradually lose strength or excitement and come to an end.
  • The protest started loudly but fizzled out by the evening.
  • Their conversation fizzled out into an awkward silence.

Variants and Related Words

• Fizzy (adj): Describes a liquid containing many small bubbles (e.g., ). This relates to the sound of bubbles.
• Fizz (n/v): The sound or action of bubbling; to make a hissing or bubbling sound (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Verb: sputter, hiss, fade, peter out, dwindle, die away.
• Noun: failure, flop, bust, dud, anticlimax, hiss.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Fizzle out: To end weakly or disappointingly. (This is the primary and most important phrasal verb for this word).
  • The investigation fizzled out without any conclusive findings.

Related Idioms

• While there is no common idiom using "fizzle" alone, the phrasal verb "fizzle out" is often used idiomatically to describe plans, energy, or events that end not with a bang but with a whimper.

Noun

1. a complete failure
   • the play was a dismal flop
2. a fricative sound (especially as an expression of disapproval)
   • the performers could not be heard over the hissing of the audience

Verb

1. end weakly
   • The music just petered out--there was no proper ending