phaseout

1 of 2

noun

phase·​out ˈfāz-ˌau̇t How to pronounce phaseout (audio)
: a gradual stopping (as in operations or production) : a closing down by phases

phase out

2 of 2

verb

phased out; phasing out; phases out

transitive verb

: to discontinue the practice, production, or use of by phases

intransitive verb

: to stop production or operation by phases

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Shaw supports provisions in the act for railroads to fund training for emergency crews, a review of regulations for rail care inspections every three years and accelerating the phaseout of older tank car models. Stephen Groves, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2023 Globally, the phaseout of leaded gasoline that began in the 1970s is estimated to have saved 1.2 million lives a year. Steven Johnson, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023 Habeck added that instead of formally setting new goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the government will focus on concrete measures including ensuring that the price per ton of carbon dioxide won't fall below 60 euros, or $67.20 -- a measure that will speed up the coal phaseout. Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 25 Nov. 2021 The next year, lawmakers mandated a nuclear phaseout. Osha Gray Davidson, Discover Magazine, 28 May 2015 California’s gas-car phaseout brings turmoil to mom-and-pop gas stations. Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2022 California is considering a phaseout for trucks with diesel and gas-powered engines in coming decades. Emma Foehringer Merchant, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2023 Cory Booker’s proposed Farm System Reform Act, which would put a moratorium on the construction of new large CAFOs and introduce a CAFO phaseout by 2040, comes close to proposing this kind of wholesale reform. Aaron Regunberg, The New Republic, 13 Aug. 2021 For married couples filing jointly, the phaseout range is $218,000 to $228,000, up from $204,000 to $214,000. Nerdwallet, cleveland, 22 Jan. 2023
Verb
The phasing out of Medicaid benefits for millions comes at a time when Americans are already pulling back. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2023 The Golden State aims to curb tailpipe pollution from the heavy-polluting vehicles and ultimately phase out sales in a transition to electric trucks. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023 If the legislation is approved, his office would oversee Maryland 529 by June 1 and would phase out the prepaid trust plan by 2025. Lia Russell, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2023 Thanks to the budget signed into law by Governor Chris Sununu two years ago, however, New Hampshire’s investment income tax is scheduled to phase out by the end of 2026. Patrick Gleason, Forbes, 26 Jan. 2023 The Netherlands, which had already decided to phase out mink farming by 2024 for ethical reasons, closed all remaining farms in 2021. Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 24 Jan. 2023 The Chinese government had planned to phase out its costly EV subsidy program by the end of 2020, but extended it during the pandemic to avert a sharp economic slowdown. Laura He, CNN, 6 Jan. 2023 That approach started to change in 2011, when the city’s municipal government encouraged Paris’s cemeteries to phase out pesticides, out of environmental concern. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2022 The Alphabet subsidiary will phase out the plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica minivans it's been using for six years and replace them with all-electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs. Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 31 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'phaseout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1951, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1940, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of phaseout was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near phaseout

Cite this Entry

“Phaseout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phaseout. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

phase out

verb
: to discontinue doing, producing, or using
phasing out old machinery

More from Merriam-Webster on phaseout

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