taper off

verb

tapered off; tapering off; tapers off
Synonyms of taper offnext
: taper
housing starts tapered off in the fall

Examples of taper off in a Sentence

at this time of the year, light begins to taper off a little earlier each day
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Toward the afternoon, expect the rain to taper off. Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026 On Saturday, Ventura County could see wind gusts between 20 and 30 mph, and isolated gusts of 40 mph, starting in the mid-morning and tapering off later in the afternoon. Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026 That improvement tapered off, however, over the course of the last two weeks. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 But then construction tapered off, helping stabilize rent prices and occupancy rates. Lily O'Neill, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for taper off

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of taper off was in 1848

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Cite this Entry

“Taper off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taper%20off. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

taper off

verb
: to stop or lessen gradually

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