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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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 If gravel tapers off at the edges of your garden, weeds will easily find their way into the soil below and germinate. — Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 21 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapers off
  1. decreases
  2. diminishes
  3. subsides
  4. falls
  5. declines
Verb
  • Splitting the shot up decreases vaccination rates and leaves children unprotected over a longer period, experts say.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When employees actively participate in shaping the policies that govern their day-to-day experience, engagement rises and turnover decreases.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Once the journey time increases, the value proposition diminishes and the project is less likely to succeed.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Congressional Budget Office estimates that for every dollar added to the deficit, private investment loses 33 cents, which diminishes economic growth and wages over time.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • When the storm subsides, the Pogues use Kiara’s coordinates and Pope’s calculations to return to the water and search for the gold.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • When Cantu reaches towards Lopez and screams his wife’s name, a shot rings out and Lopez falls slightly off camera.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than extra long hair, think of a cut that falls somewhere below the collarbone, with enough layering or movement to keep it from feeling heavy.
    — Laura Solla, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of falls
Verb
  • Even as Rumours declines, none of the drops connected with the set are especially dramatic.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Understand that viewership already declines considerably when both are absent.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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