as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
at this time of the year, light begins to taper off a little earlier each day
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Recent Examples of taper off
The wintry mix is expected to taper off Sunday, and the extreme cold will last through Tuesday this week, continuing the threat of freezing across North Texas.
—
Briauna Brown, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
Precipitation will taper off by Sunday afternoon, though temperatures will remain below freezing into Monday, allowing untreated roads and bridges to refreeze overnight.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
The snow is expected to taper off late Sunday night from west to east.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Ice accumulation will taper off Sunday evening but light snow may occur Sunday night and early Monday morning.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper off
Briauna Brown, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
Precipitation will taper off by Sunday afternoon, though temperatures will remain below freezing into Monday, allowing untreated roads and bridges to refreeze overnight.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026
The snow is expected to taper off late Sunday night from west to east.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Ice accumulation will taper off Sunday evening but light snow may occur Sunday night and early Monday morning.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper off
Verb
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The rise of cloud computing in the 2010s forced Cisco to decrease its reliance on hardware networking equipment.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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All dogs in the shelter are receiving antibiotics to significantly decrease their chances of developing symptoms, according to the news release.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
January 30,
Sacbee.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Sources at the club who spoke to The Athletic on condition of anonymity to protect relationships say there is no diminishing faith in Hurzeler at boardroom level.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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And some poor choices have not diminished the status of the Norwegian Nobel Committee as the international arbiter of moral courage.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After a few workout sessions, your legs will get used to moving, and the itch should subside.—
Fara Rosenzweig,
Outside,
24 Jan. 2026
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Wait for the sputtering sound to subside.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Coleman declined to pursue the case, a police report said.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Across the other devices, both Mac and Wearables, Home & Accessories sales declined year over year, while the market anticipated slight growth.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Video of the moment posted on TikTok showed Malone raising his cup and leaning over, as the edge of the stage fell away during the Arizona show.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
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Shorter wavelengths fall away and reds and oranges remain.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The cold air is then expected to stay in place through the beginning of February, ensuring that whatever snow falls this weekend will stay on the ground for a while.—
Matthew Villafane,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
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Only one other player has been ever elected by the writers with 1,500 or fewer hits — Roy Campanella (1,422) in 1969 — and that total falls far short of the average career hit mark for all Hall of Fame batters, which is 2,330.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To help ease your planning, consider this handy guide for each island’s must-visit features, proving there is something for everyone in this Caribbean gem.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
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The administration has eased its tone and admitted mistakes in its immigration enforcement campaign since Pretti’s killing, but hasn’t backed down completely or paused operations in Minneapolis, as critics demanded.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taper off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper%20off. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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