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.
Otherwise, rain will taper off this morning, with partly sunny skies this afternoon. Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025 But when the Biden administration moved to restrict asylum, the boom of unauthorized immigrants tapered off in the last six months of 2024, according to preliminary government data. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025 But as children become adults, their involvement in athletics typically tapers off — opting to watch sports games from the couch rather than participating in them. Hadley Hitson, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025 What used to taper off by midsummer can now stretch into August, or even longer, as hotter temperatures, drier fuels and a weak monsoon leave crews fighting flames well past the traditional peak. Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 19 Aug. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Taper off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taper%20off. Accessed 8 Sep. 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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