fizzle

1 of 2

verb

fiz·​zle ˈfi-zəl 

fizzled; fizzling ˈfi-zə-liŋ 

ˈfiz-liŋ

intransitive verb

1

: fizz

2

: to fail or end feebly especially after a promising start

—often used with out

fizzle

2 of 2

noun

: an abortive effort : failure

Synonyms

Verb

• hiss
• bubble

Noun

• defeat
• collapse
• failure
• crash

Examples of fizzle in a Sentence

Verb

oozing gobs of grease, a pair of fatty burgers fizzled on the grill

Noun

the home team's unexpected fizzle in that last game cost them the championship

the play was a fizzle, opening and closing the same night

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Golay Fils & Stahl Why have some 19th century watchmakers and jewelers evolved into firms that thrive in the 21st century, while others fizzled out of business long ago? —Kyle Roderick, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025

As hopes of a levee repair fizzled, farmers were stranded. —Molly Parker, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025

Noun

Startups fail, investments underperform, strategic alignment fizzles and you’re left with slide decks and press releases instead of revenue and impact. —Michael Johnson, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

Then came the late-season fizzle that saw his effectiveness wane as the Steelers lost their last four regular-season games and the playoff opener at Baltimore while never scoring more than 17 points in any of those outings. —Mike Jones, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps alteration of fist to break wind

First Known Use

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fizzle

• chisel
• drizzle
• grizzle
• sisal
• sizzle

Kids Definition

fizzle

verb

fiz·​zle

ˈfiz-əl

fizzled; fizzling

-(ə-)liŋ

: to fail after a good start

—often used with out

fizzle noun