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
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
That improvement tapered off, however, over the course of the last two weeks.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
But then construction tapered off, helping stabilize rent prices and occupancy rates.
—Lily O'Neill, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Apr. 2026
The analysis showed bacterial diversity recovered the fastest in the first two years after people took antibiotics; the rate of recovery tapered off after that point.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
The questions about the interceptions have tapered off with his high schoolers.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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
That improvement tapered off, however, over the course of the last two weeks.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
But then construction tapered off, helping stabilize rent prices and occupancy rates.
—Lily O'Neill, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Apr. 2026
The analysis showed bacterial diversity recovered the fastest in the first two years after people took antibiotics; the rate of recovery tapered off after that point.
—Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
The questions about the interceptions have tapered off with his high schoolers.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered off
Verb
-
Last year, the number of officers killed decreased, both in terms of officers killed as a result of felonious acts and those killed accidentally.—
Kenneth D. Robinson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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In addition, overall passenger numbers decreased 20% after Spirit exited a route, which indicates that rival airlines did not immediately step forward to fill the void.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The unlikely union lasted 10 years and the mutual admiration between the two famed figures never diminished.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
While the immediate flood threat has diminished, rain is expected to persist along the Mid-Atlantic coast.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Since 2015, the ground in parts of the Tulare Lake area has subsided more than 6 feet, while part of the Tule area has dropped more than 7 feet.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
Now that the euphoria of David Pastrnak’s overtime game-winner has now subsided, the Bruins get back to the business of staving off elimination at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres in Friday’s Game 6 at the Garden.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
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John Adams famously wrote to his wife, Abigail, that smallpox was killing 10 soldiers for every one felled in battle.—
Katrine L. Wallace,
The Conversation,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There was a silent boom; in the thrill of the snake, everything unnecessary fell away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
-
Three minutes into the flight, the booster switched off its engines and fell away from New Glenn’s upper stage, powered by two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered%20off. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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