noun / verb

fizzle

FIZ-uhl/ˈfɪzl/

To sputter weakly and die away.

The small rocket fizzles out, leaving only faint smoke without rising into the air.

A two-panel sequence shows the same small firework rocket starting with a vigorous burst of thrust, then lying intact nearby with only a faint wisp of smoke, having failed to climb or burst.

Etymology

The base probably meant “break wind,” with an ending marking repeated action. The failure sense began as college slang for a failed examination response; a link through muffled or stifled performance is possible, not certain.

More examples

Their ambitious project fizzled out when the funding stopped.
Despite all the hype, the launch was a fizzle.
The damp fuse fizzles briefly and then goes silent.

Forms

fizzle · fizzles · fizzled · fizzling

Similar words

sputter: Emphasizes repeated popping sounds, without necessarily dying away.
falter: Means to lose strength or momentum, not necessarily stop.
flop: Describes outright failure, without suggesting a gradual fading away.