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
Their 3-point shooting quickly tapered off for the remainder of the game.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2026
While Brent crude has tapered off from its wartime high of $126 per barrel at the end of April, prices are still more than 38% above levels seen before the Middle East conflict intensified.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Then Zabinski did the final round after the snow tapered off late Wednesday morning.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
That practice tapered off as A-listers grew pickier about their brands and ever more committed to building a lasting legacy.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 4 May 2026
The 2025 event in Virginia helped bolster the coin's value for a time, but interest in the currency again tapered off.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
What initially felt like a meteoric rise tapered off into a slow burn.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
While the series’ linear ratings have tapered off, something pretty common for serialized broadcast dramas, Memory of a Killer has become a staple on Hulu, which releases new episodes next day, regularly raking in the streamer’s Daily Top 10.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2026
While Brent crude has tapered off from its wartime high of $126 per barrel at the end of April, prices are still more than 38% above levels seen before the Middle East conflict intensified.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 8 May 2026
Then Zabinski did the final round after the snow tapered off late Wednesday morning.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 May 2026
That practice tapered off as A-listers grew pickier about their brands and ever more committed to building a lasting legacy.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 4 May 2026
The 2025 event in Virginia helped bolster the coin's value for a time, but interest in the currency again tapered off.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
What initially felt like a meteoric rise tapered off into a slow burn.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.
—Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
While the series’ linear ratings have tapered off, something pretty common for serialized broadcast dramas, Memory of a Killer has become a staple on Hulu, which releases new episodes next day, regularly raking in the streamer’s Daily Top 10.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered off
Verb
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At an optimal dosage of 10 g/L, the lag phase of hydrogen production decreased by about 50%, and the specific hydrogen yield increased by roughly 33%, according to researchers.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
-
Wealthy Russians, Ukrainians, and northern Europeans snapped up properties, too—though visitors from the Russian-speaking world have decreased since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.—
Rebecca Rose,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Another theory suggests regulatory changes in China a few years ago appear to have diminished the availability of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl.—
Mike Stobbe,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
-
The roles of China and Russia, as Iran’s allies, are strengthened; the role of the United States, substantially diminished.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
Verb
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While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the shaky truce has been interrupted by almost daily Israeli fire.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
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The family’s anger has subsided some since the baby’s death, in part because of their trust in God’s plan.—
Duaa Eldeib,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Verb
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But they were felled by poor shooting Friday, making just 35% overall and were particularly bad from long range.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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But before he was felled at age 68 by a heart attack, Joiner had shared what was in the briefcase with the lead Louisiana State Police investigator on the case, Stefan Montgomery, Joiner's son and the LSP confirmed.—
Stephanie Gosk,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The sense of a cultural in- and out-group dissolved as niche communities grew and old-school ideas of coolness fell away.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2026
-
There was a silent boom; in the thrill of the snake, everything unnecessary fell away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered%20off. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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