1
as in collapses
a falling short of one's goals
the home team's unexpected fizzle in that last game cost them the championship
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disasters
something that has failed
the play was a fizzle, opening and closing the same night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fizzles
Bobbi Sutherland, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, the David Lynch–style tension built by Will’s arrival just kind of fizzles.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
When her career fizzles, April returns home and unexpectedly crosses paths with Chastity, who is also out of work, and desperate for a fresh start.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
But if that boom fizzles, the pain will ripple through the whole economy.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
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
Dennis Lin, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Yet this low-wattage production fizzles out more disappointingly than most.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Every special initiative that fizzles?
—Shani Harmon, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
But much of the energy fizzles away once the protest or the election is over.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Neither wants to deal with those feelings, so this fizzles out.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
Today, many people start thinking about Christmas after Thanksgiving, and any sort of holiday spirit fizzles by early January.
—Bobbi Sutherland, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Meanwhile, the David Lynch–style tension built by Will’s arrival just kind of fizzles.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
When her career fizzles, April returns home and unexpectedly crosses paths with Chastity, who is also out of work, and desperate for a fresh start.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
But if that boom fizzles, the pain will ripple through the whole economy.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
After incurring minimal costs, the Padres could release him if the experiment fizzles.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Yet this low-wattage production fizzles out more disappointingly than most.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Every special initiative that fizzles?
—Shani Harmon, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
But much of the energy fizzles away once the protest or the election is over.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Neither wants to deal with those feelings, so this fizzles out.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fizzles
Noun
-
Previous bear markets followed explicit collapses, like the fall of FTX in November 2022.—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Power that relies on repetition collapses when the pattern is named.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Homeowners are left to mediate a system that was never designed for neighborhood-scale disasters.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Both nights were disasters, in very different ways.—
Luis Palomares,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If steam bubbles and hisses out of the end grain as the firewood heats up on the fire, the wood is wet or green and needs to be seasoned longer before burning.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Their cushion to the relegation zone now stands at just four points following three straight defeats to Manchester United, Newcastle United and Arsenal, and a run of just two wins in 17 league games.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Bremen missed a host of chances before Jovan Milošević scored from Romano Schmid’s cross in the 57th minute, and an own goal from Hennes Behrens in stoppage time confirmed Bremen’s first win after three defeats under new coach Daniel Thioune.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Increasingly, the aging building has been experiencing system failures that include the boilers and chillers, electrical infrastructure, plumbing and roof leaks, the City Council was told.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
These failures help contribute to the lack of confidence Americans in general have in Democrats’ ability to run things — their governmental competence.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The mixture of high-tech drones and World War I-style trench fighting has seen small groups of infantry — often just two or three soldiers — try to infiltrate enemy positions into towns flattened by Russian heavy artillery and glide bombs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Ruslan Tyshchenko was a sapper who defused bombs in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine.—
Carol Guzy,
NPR,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mercury stationing retrograde can bring disappointments that are informative.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Losing a board game becomes a small, safe rehearsal for larger disappointments later in life.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Of those, 15 were busts to some degree.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
After the busts went, er, bust, a rental car company purchased Presidents Park and hired local builder Howard Hankins to help flatten it into a parking lot.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fizzles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fizzles. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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