tapers off

verb

present tense third-person singular of taper off
as in decreases
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tapers off Acuna’s show business resume tapers off in the mid-2010’s, according to IMDB. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 After the strongest storms move out, colder air will settle in with the possibility of a few wet snowflakes before the precipitation tapers off. — Gregory Padgett, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2026 The sharp tanginess of the vinegar tapers off when cooked, lending subtle brightness to dishes. — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026 Even after the snow tapers off, the weekend will remian breezy and cold across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with wind gusts of 30 to over 60 mph possible. — Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026 Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly once snow begins, and hazardous conditions could persist into Sunday morning before snow tapers off. — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026 By the time the snow tapers off Monday morning, New Yorkers could be left with anywhere between 8 and 14 inches of the white stuff. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 24 Jan. 2026 The threat gradually tapers off later Friday as the system moves east and winds slowly diminish. — Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 13 Jan. 2026 New accumulation should be no more than an inch, though, then a high near 31 as the precipitation tapers off Sunday morning. — Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapers off
  1. decreases
  2. diminishes
  3. subsides
  4. falls
  5. declines
Verb
  • The longer-term concern is whether the state will have to cover more of the cost if federal support decreases.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
  • Discuss Hidden Factors Instead Of Selling Features In high-trust industries, skepticism usually decreases when the conversation becomes less transactional and more observational.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • When the temperature difference diminishes between the warmer western Pacific and the cooler eastern Pacific, the typical east-to-west trade winds decrease even further.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • After the laughter ringing through the room subsides, though, Abela does allow for a moment of reverence — for the HBO drama if not for the disreputable people who populate it.
    — Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
  • Then the climax subsides for a lovely coda of strings, accompanied by a denouement in which the now casually clad, contemporary-looking singer smashes up her play set in the apartment where she’s presumably been brooding over all this stuff.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 22 May 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • Vessel traffic falls Hoffman cautioned that falling vessel traffic could eventually force producers to reduce output if storage fills up because crude can no longer be exported.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • If payrolls rise and unemployment falls, the labor market is declared strong.
    — Katica Roy, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Definition of falls
Verb
  • Car registrations and titles can now be issued electronically, and some DMV documentation will be sent via email, unless the driver declines to provide an address.
    — Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 13 July 2026
  • As Medicaid coverage declines, more people become uninsured or underinsured.
    — Sas Mukherjee, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of declines

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tapers
tapers off
tapes
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Cite this Entry

“Tapers off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapers%20off. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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