Phrasal Verb - Petering out
· 2 min read
Image uploaded to Pixabay by DomyD
.Definition
The phrasal verb 'peter out' means to gradually diminish, dwindle, or cease to exist. It describes a process where something, such as resources, energy, enthusiasm, an event, or a phenomenon, starts with a certain intensity or quantity but progressively weakens, reduces, or exhausts itself over time, eventually coming to an end. It implies a slow and steady decline rather than an abrupt stop, often leading to complete depletion or disappearance.
Examples
| No. | Example |
|---|---|
| 1 | The storm, which had started with great fury, began to peter out by late morning. |
| 2 | Their initial enthusiasm for the project slowly started to peter out as they encountered more obstacles. |
| 3 | The mining operation had to close down when the gold vein finally petered out. |
| 4 | His brilliant career seemed to peter out after a series of poor performances. |
| 5 | We hoped the conversation wouldn't peter out, but finding new topics became challenging. |
| 6 | The old well eventually petered out, forcing the villagers to find a new water source. |
| 7 | Support for the protest movement began to peter out after several weeks without significant change. |
| 8 | The supply of fresh water will peter out if we don't conserve it. |
| 9 | Their savings account started to peter out after months of unemployment. |
| 10 | The sound of the distant music gradually petered out as we drove further away. |