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 Activity scheduling generally follows daily circadian rhythms, so more intensive experiences are clustered in the mornings, with a smattering in the afternoon that tapers off in time for slow sunset yoga or meditation. — Jessica Ritz, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapers off
  1. decreases
  2. diminishes
  3. subsides
  4. falls
  5. declines
Verb
  • Pyrad works by instantaneously thickening when exposed to fire, forming a char that diminishes heat exposure, extinguishes flames, and decreases the risk of third-degree burns.
    — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The peak height of the histogram decreases as the number of tosses, N, gets larger.
    — Dana Mackenzie, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • The local control is missing and the local responsibility diminishes significantly.
    — John E. McDonough, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Pyrad works by instantaneously thickening when exposed to fire, forming a char that diminishes heat exposure, extinguishes flames, and decreases the risk of third-degree burns.
    — Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • Chadchart said despite the heavy rain, flooding should recede once the rain subsides, as city officials are working to drain floodwaters as quickly as possible.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Ideally, those refugees would remain in human care for years or even decades until the mussel invasion subsides.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • When carb intake falls sharply, the liver turns fat into ketones, an alternative fuel for the brain and other tissues that may cause less metabolic stress.
    — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Bangladesh’s experience shows the challenge of containing an outbreak when vaccination coverage falls below 95%, a level the WHO says is needed to prevent outbreaks.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of falls
Verb
  • And women going through perimenopause and menopause lose muscle even faster because their estrogen declines.
    — Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Tracking Wall Street declines overnight, Asia markets tumbled Thursday.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of declines

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tapers off
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Cite this Entry

“Tapers off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapers%20off. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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