Phrase guide

taper off

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈteɪpə ɒf/
  • US: /ˈteɪpɚ ɔf/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To diminish or lessen gradually; to become or make smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Months after they printed the article, the number of angry letters finally started to taper off.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see taper, off.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The glass tapers off at the top.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

become smaller or less active

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Business tapered off

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: narrow, contract

4

verb

Meaning 4

end weakly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The music just petered out--there was no proper ending

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: peter out, fizzle out, fizzle

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: discontinue

History

Etymology

From taper and off.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 減少 /减少 (jiǎnshǎo) — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Esperanto: stompi — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Finnish: hiipua — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • French: estomper — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • German: zurückgehen — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • German: nachlassen — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: alábbhagy — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: ritkul — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: gyérül — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: szelídül — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: enyhül — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: mérséklődik — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: elcsendesül — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: elül — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: fogyatkozik — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: apad — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Hungarian: csillapodik — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Italian: calare — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Japanese: 細る (hosoru) — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Latin: oblanguescō — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Polish: słabnąć — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Polish: osłabnąć — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Polish: zamierać — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Polish: zamrzeć — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Russian: сходи́ть на нет (sxodítʹ na net) — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Russian: угасать (ugasatʹ) — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Spanish: aflojar — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.
  • Swedish: avta — diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.