on Just Publishing Advice:

A damp squib, and the variation damp squid, is a metaphor. We use it figuratively to describe an event or situation that is disappointing or less impressive than expected.

The correct form is a damp squib. But perhaps because of the ease of pronunciation, a damp squid is now not uncommon to see or hear.

Another metaphor, a wet blanket, is similar in expressing disappointment. But it is not always interchangeable because it often refers to someone who spoils other people’s fun.

As with all idioms and metaphors, it always pays to check that you use them correctly.

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