taper off

verb

tapered off; tapering off; tapers off
: 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.
Wednesday will have lingering showers before tapering off late in the evening, forecasters said in the outlook. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 6 May 2025 That said, most doctors generally look for certain indicators that someone has a higher likelihood of doing well after tapering off their meds. Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 2 May 2025 Wells had a strong rookie season at the plate but tapered off late, bringing his overall numbers to a .229 batting average with 13 home runs. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 27 Mar. 2025 Moisture-laden storms typically begin to taper off in March, but several storms have brought beneficial precipitation to the state this month. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 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 18 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

taper off

verb
: to stop or lessen gradually

More from Merriam-Webster on taper off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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