peter out
phrasal verb
petered out; petering out; peters out
informal
: to gradually become smaller, weaker, or less before stopping or ending
Their romantic relationship petered out after the summer.
Interest in the sport is beginning to peter out.
Examples of peter out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The potential new love interests for Nick and Noah are a waste of time, and the cluttered plot just peters out, barely even setting up the inevitable next installment.
—
Josh Bell, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Of course, there’s no way to confidently guess in advance which emerging new virus will kill millions and which, like most, will quietly and uneventfully peter out.
—Kelsey Piper, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
However, that rally could peter out in the new year, with analysts as a group believing the stock could fall more than 43% in 2025.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
As those loans came to an end and zoos returned their pandas, there was worry that panda diplomacy would peter out.
—Amy Hubbard, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
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Josh Bell, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024
Of course, there’s no way to confidently guess in advance which emerging new virus will kill millions and which, like most, will quietly and uneventfully peter out.
—Kelsey Piper, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
However, that rally could peter out in the new year, with analysts as a group believing the stock could fall more than 43% in 2025.
—Sean Conlon, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
As those loans came to an end and zoos returned their pandas, there was worry that panda diplomacy would peter out.
—Amy Hubbard, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for peter out
Dictionary Entries Near peter out
Cite this Entry
“Peter out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peter%20out. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025.
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