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.
The conditions were wet and and slippery at first, but the rain appears to have tapered off now. Nbc News, NBC news, 28 June 2026 There will be some periods of heavy rain, especially south of Philadelphia through midday, but right now the rain looks to start to taper off during the afternoon hours. Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 26 June 2026 And several of the unflattering stats have tapered off a ton this last year, including sacks taken (27 in 2025, down from 62 in 2023). Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026 In 2018, RepoNut content tapered off. Paige Williams, New Yorker, 22 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

taper off

verb
: to stop or lessen gradually

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