to taper off
9
4.5
- phrasal verb
- /ˈteɪpər ɔf/
:
disminuir
- As the storm moved away, the wind gradually tapered off until it was barely a breeze.
- begin to taper off
Growth is most often at its maximum at the beginning of each school year and tapers off towards spring.
- Growth is most often at its maximum at the beginning of each school year and tapers off towards spring.
- This effect happens the most at the equator and then tapers off at the poles of Earth, right?
- At what point or was there a point that the drug use started to taper off?
- He's a Grand Master and his his production starts to taper off as I think quite understandable.
- And then, you know, it's sort of starts to taper off like a few months in, it starts to slow down.
- Basically, while they look like a bell, their EAK erformance is from a certain range and after that it tapers off on both sides.
- But if not, do we just taper off into oblivion with losing our feelings and becoming, you know, just we're going to be the worst robots.
Examples
-
The bleeding should taper off tomorrow, but it can come back again.
Fiction book (1999) -
Showers will continue through this evening and should taper off by tomorrow morning.
-
It's it's increasing, but then it starts to taper off, right?
-
Growth is most often at its maximum at the beginning of each school year and tapers off towards spring.
-
The damage appears to taper off further away from ground zero.
-
I talk a lot in the beginning, then taper off considerably the last half of class.
Academic text (2011) -
The rate of growth tapered off somewhat in these states between 1990 and 2000.
Academic text (2005) -
Late in the afternoon, the Federals quit coming and the shooting tapered off.
Fiction book (1997) -
Initially, trainers accompany clients for their whole journey, but this can taper off over time in line with a person's ability.
Academic text (2009) -
The stomach's activity level tends to peak early in the day and taper off until mid-afternoon.
Blog text (21)
Synonyms
531
1.2
To slowly become less visible, bright, or loud
344
3.7
To become less over time, for example in value or health
93
4.0
An effect or feeling that becomes less strong and then stops
72
5.1
To become smaller or less in number over time
69
3.0
To become weaker and then disappear over time
49
2.6
Become less in number, amount, or quality
46
2.7
To become less strong or loud over time
27
5.6
To end in a weak or disappointing way after a promising start
21
3.5
To become less in number or amount
19
4.3
To become less in amount or quality
18
4.2
To become gradually less in size or amount
9
4.0
To become gradually less strong or severe
9
5.6
To slowly become weaker and then stop
8
4.2
To become quieter and then stop
8
5.3
To gradually lose energy or interest and end weakly
2
3.3
To become less over time
1
4.6
Slowly get smaller in number or amount until nothing remains
1
5.1
To become slowly smaller or less until almost nothing remains
To flow back or become less strong slowly
Antonyms
How Much
Surface Forms
Morphology
taper + off
The meaning 'to gradually become smaller, weaker, or less until stopping' is directly derivable from 'taper' (to decline or dwindle gradually) combined with the particle 'off', which signals reduction or cessation. This V + particle composition is a regular, compositional pattern in English and is likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
The phrasal verb taper off comes from the image of a candle called a 'taper' burning down and getting thin and small. So taper, meaning thin, plus off, meaning to an end, explains why it means 'to slowly become smaller or weaker until it stops'.