peter

[pee-ter] / ˈpi tər /

VERB

decrease

Synonyms

STRONG

check contract curb decay decline degenerate drain droop drop ease ebb fade lower quiet rebate settle shrink sink slash slump taper wane waste

WEAK

abate calm down crumble curtail cut down depreciate deteriorate devaluate die down diminish drop off dry up dwindle evaporate fall off lessen let up lighten lose edge modify narrow down peter out quell reduce restrain run low shrivel slack off slacken slow down soften subside tail away tail off weaken wear away wear down wither

Antonyms

STRONG

aid ascend assist build develop enlarge expand go up grow help improve increase pour raise rise strengthen stretch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Those reports are starting to peter out now, but they could still move markets.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

While most experts are predicting this hantavirus outbreak will peter out, it’s not the kind of prediction you want to be wrong about either.

From Salon • May 11, 2026

Economists predict the current wave of inflation is likely to peter out later in the year, but they are uncertain as to when and by how much.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

A counterfrontier runs from the lower right to the upper left, beyond which the Danish place names left by the Vikings peter out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

He looked in the other direction and saw people bunched up to his left, and they began to peter out closer to 8th Street.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

peter

Example Sentences

Related Words