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Definitions

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.

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

It remains to be seen when the rally will peter out.

From Barron's • Dec. 10, 2025

Navellier, for his part, told MarketWatch he was “not worried about valuations” and expected the selloff to peter out “sooner rather than later.”

From MarketWatch • Nov. 18, 2025

Just because this corrupting pity party doesn’t crescendo so much as peter out isn’t any more of a reason to dismiss “Eden.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2025

They are better trained than the Dauntless, whose voices take thirty seconds to peter out.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth