as in decreasing
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 tapering off
Storms may organize along frontal boundaries, continuing into the evening before tapering off.
—
Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
The security line situation could be tapering off.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Players Era’s rapid expansion plans could be tapering off.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Mar. 2026
In Houston’s climate, some pollen may appear as early as January, but concentrations typically peak in early to mid-spring before tapering off.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
The roadside assistance and insurance provider says that fuel economy for most cars peaks at 50 mph before tapering off.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
The storm will make travel in the foothills and mountains difficult on Friday before tapering off Friday night.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Iran’s missile-and-drone volleys are tapering off somewhat as launchers are destroyed and inventories expended, but Shaheds are so simple that Iran will likely be able to keep manufacturing and firing them in small numbers nearly indefinitely.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Southern California’s mosquito season typically begins in early May, with the insect’s activity tapering off around October.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
The security line situation could be tapering off.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Players Era’s rapid expansion plans could be tapering off.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 29 Mar. 2026
In Houston’s climate, some pollen may appear as early as January, but concentrations typically peak in early to mid-spring before tapering off.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
The roadside assistance and insurance provider says that fuel economy for most cars peaks at 50 mph before tapering off.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
The storm will make travel in the foothills and mountains difficult on Friday before tapering off Friday night.
—Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
Iran’s missile-and-drone volleys are tapering off somewhat as launchers are destroyed and inventories expended, but Shaheds are so simple that Iran will likely be able to keep manufacturing and firing them in small numbers nearly indefinitely.
—Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Southern California’s mosquito season typically begins in early May, with the insect’s activity tapering off around October.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapering off
Verb
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The situation mirrors a recent case in Sweetwater, where hundreds of families were also displaced under similar terms, with financial incentives decreasing the longer residents wait to leave.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Higher rates can help tame inflation and allow savers to earn more interest on their accounts, while lower rates can help stimulate the economy by decreasing borrowing costs.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Indeed, the need for RTGs was laid bare by Curiosity and Perseverance's predecessors, the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which were purely solar powered but suffered from diminishing power as Martian dust covered their solar arrays.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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Without sufficient funds, the upkeep of these amenities may decline, potentially lowering property values and diminishing residents’ quality of life.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
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But, by the end of May, the issue was not subsiding.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the data show overall birth outcomes improving — declining rates of prematurity, low birth weight, and infant mortality — disparities are still prevalent, particularly for Black women.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
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The grand jury had the options of handing up an indictment, declining to indict and issuing a report known as a presentment.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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All of this comes at a time when the market has greater appetite for larger scale deals, despite Lauder’s falling stock price.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapering off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapering%20off. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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