What does fizzle mean?
To fizzle is to fail or come to an end weakly and gradually, especially after an energetic or promising start. Unlike words describing dramatic collapse, fizzle evokes anticlimax: a firework that never quite goes off, a plan that loses steam, a movement that fades away unnoticed. The word is most commonly heard in the fixed phrase "fizzle out," as in "the campaign fizzled out by autumn." Informal to neutral in tone, it is widely used in journalism and everyday speech to describe relationships, ventures, trends, and efforts that dwindle rather than conclude decisively. It also exists as a noun denoting such a feeble failure, though this use is rarer today. Historically, fizzle arose in the early seventeenth century as a word for a faint hissing or breaking of wind — an undignified origin that suits its meaning perfectly. For writers, it captures precisely that disappointing, deflating kind of ending that neither shocks nor satisfies.
To fail or come to an end weakly and gradually, typically after initial promise or activity.
"The rebellion fizzled within a month."
Most natural in the phrase "fizzle out"; used alone it is somewhat literary.
A failure that ends feebly or anticlimactically rather than dramatically.
"The product turned out to be a complete fizzle."
Less common than the verb form today.
Standard plural, used chiefly when referring to multiple failures or instances of something fizzling out.
"Despite several fizzles, the team kept experimenting."
"Fizzle" began life in the 1600s as a word for a quiet, unimpressive hiss of flatulence — which is exactly the energy it still carries when your big plans quietly die.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of fizzle
Fizzle first appears in English in the early seventeenth century, originally meaning to break wind with a faint hissing sound, and by extension to make any weak hiss or sputter. Its further origins are uncertain, though lexicographers have connected it to older Germanic verbs for breaking wind. Over time the sense shifted from literal hissing to figurative failure — anything that ends not with a bang but a whimper — and the modern phrase "fizzle out" became dominant.
Related word forms
How fizzle is actually used
Informal to neutral in register; overwhelmingly used with the particle "out" in the phrase "fizzle out." The connotation is one of anticlimax — a quiet, unremarkable ending rather than a dramatic collapse. As a standalone verb without "out," it is less common but still understood.
Easily confused with fizzle
"Fizz" refers to the bubbling carbonation of a drink, while "fizzle" means to fail or die out weakly.