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.
Snow will finally begin to taper off by sunset Monday. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 What’s more, even if it’s approved and eventually offered, the number of buyers is likely to be a fraction of what the White House has suggested and could taper off after an initial burst of buyers. Robert Frank, CNBC, 26 June 2025 During the years that the smelters operated, these elements were present in the air; even after the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1963 and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, their airborne assaults were only beginning to taper off. Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 18 June 2025 Reports started to escalate around 2 p.m. EST and peaked around 2:30 p.m. before tapering off for most platforms. Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 12 June 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 15 Jul. 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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