damp squib
noun
British
: something that is disappointing because it is not as exciting or effective as expected
The company's stock turned out to be something of a damp squib.
Examples of damp squib in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the light winds of Sydney may have been a damp squib for the spectators, for the Brazilians the slower pace of action was a blessing.
—
Andrew Rice, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
While the overall business had a banner year, that damp squib of an announcement seemed to sum up the entire gaming misadventure.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2025
Monday’s damp squib in Burnley did not help the narrative.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The contrast between this damp squib of an evening and their respective first jobs back in 2014 couldn’t be more stark.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
People have always made overblown promises for AI, which have inevitably ended in a damp squib.
—Ravi Mayuram, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Whether President Biden’s moonshot lifts off or turns out to be a damp squib will hinge largely on how the administration engages private landowners.
—Brian Yablonski, National Review, 15 Mar. 2021
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Andrew Rice, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
While the overall business had a banner year, that damp squib of an announcement seemed to sum up the entire gaming misadventure.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2025
Monday’s damp squib in Burnley did not help the narrative.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
The contrast between this damp squib of an evening and their respective first jobs back in 2014 couldn’t be more stark.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
People have always made overblown promises for AI, which have inevitably ended in a damp squib.
—Ravi Mayuram, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2022
Whether President Biden’s moonshot lifts off or turns out to be a damp squib will hinge largely on how the administration engages private landowners.
—Brian Yablonski, National Review, 15 Mar. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Damp squib.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damp%20squib. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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