as in decreased
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 tapered off
Lastly, Vanderbilt transfer JaQualon Roberts has an opportunity to make an immediate impact after his play-time with the Commodores tapered off in his sophomore season.
—
Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
Most areas saw trace amounts of rainfall, less than a tenth of an inch, before the showers tapered off by midmorning.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
One patient had suffered a horrific motorcycle injury and eventually tapered off opioids with the help of cannabis.
—NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
In order to reconcile some of the cost increases, a large swathe of American fashion companies have frontloaded inventory—a phenomenon first seen during the winter and spring months, which tapered off as the China tariffs took effect.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
Then the hurricane continued on a more northward path around the islands and finally began weakening after powerful 145 mph winds tapered off.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
His production tapered off a bit thereafter, but this season, general manager Brett Veach thinks Hunt’s full campaign could look a lot more like that initial stretch.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 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
The spotlight tapered off ever so slightly in 2024.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
Most areas saw trace amounts of rainfall, less than a tenth of an inch, before the showers tapered off by midmorning.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025
One patient had suffered a horrific motorcycle injury and eventually tapered off opioids with the help of cannabis.
—NPR, 20 Oct. 2025
In order to reconcile some of the cost increases, a large swathe of American fashion companies have frontloaded inventory—a phenomenon first seen during the winter and spring months, which tapered off as the China tariffs took effect.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 Oct. 2025
Then the hurricane continued on a more northward path around the islands and finally began weakening after powerful 145 mph winds tapered off.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
His production tapered off a bit thereafter, but this season, general manager Brett Veach thinks Hunt’s full campaign could look a lot more like that initial stretch.
—Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 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
The spotlight tapered off ever so slightly in 2024.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered off
Verb
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While the short-term base rate decreased thanks to cuts from the Fed last year, analysts are widely expecting the base rate to decrease at a slower pace in the New Year.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
12 Jan. 2026
-
When eccentricity decreased, the climate shifted toward drier conditions.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Space.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As the urgency of the pandemic waned and booster uptake diminished, Moderna’s key revenue source disappeared.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Hydrator The Hada Labo Tokyo Anti-Aging Hydrator is a fragrance-free face moisturizer with myriad benefits, including plumper skin, fewer fine lines, and diminished dryness.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the two weeks since the Justice Department failed to fully meet a legal deadline to release its expansive tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein, old conspiracy theories about his life and death have subsided and new ones have taken shape.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
2 Jan. 2026
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As entheogenic effects subsided, the digital-age healer pulled out her iPhone and showed me photos from her recent trip home.—
María Cristina Lalonde,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Antoine’s trees were eventually felled after the plantation changed hands multiple times after the death of enslaver Roman.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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For every tree felled in the development of the hotel, two saplings were planted, and what's more, for every day that a guest decides to forgo housekeeping, a new tree will be planted (there's a nifty switch in your room so staff know).—
Grainne McBride,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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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Safeguards fell away — removed intentionally to insure residents in need did not go hungry.—
Jonah Kaplan,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tapered off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered%20off. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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