See the Dictionary Definition 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for petering (out)
Verb
-
The United States has powered through a change of power in Washington, a trade war, a hot war with Iran, a sharp round of monetary tightening, and an extended government shutdown without the engine giving out.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
24 May 2026 -
To save on costs, one user also expects many Starlink subscribers will return the portable Starlink Mini dish the company has been giving out to eligible customers as part of a free rental.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
But the memorandum drafted between Kyiv and Washington on an early-stage drone deal appears to suggest those obstacles may be falling away.—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Overnight showers and thunderstorms are tapering off across the Kansas City metro, but forecasters say the bigger concern comes later Monday, when severe weather is likely, the National Weather Service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
-
Showers could linger into Wednesday night before gradually tapering off, with cooler air settling in and lows dropping into the 50s.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
4 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Petering (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/petering%20%28out%29. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
