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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.
The first round of showers will taper off by mid to late evening Tuesday. CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025 Showers may persist into Saturday morning, especially in Los Angeles County, but are forecast to taper off as the weekend progresses. Sam Stevenson, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 When cells exceed 50°C, the charging power must be reduced to prevent lithium plating and long-term damage, which can cause fast charging to taper off earlier than advertised and significantly extend overall charge times, according to Renewable Energy Magazine (REM). Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Nov. 2025 The swell lessens and thunderstorms taper off Saturday afternoon. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 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 29 Nov. 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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