taper off

From taper and off.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈteɪpə ɒf/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈteɪpɚ ɔf/

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taper off (third-person singular simple present tapers off, present participle tapering off, simple past and past participle tapered off)

1. (idiomatic) To diminish or lessen gradually; to become smaller, slower, quieter, etc.

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

   • 1960 September, G. Freeman Allen, “I.C.I. fertiliser goes by rail from Tees-side”, in Trains Illustrated, page 534:

     The traffic tapers off towards mid-May, but it continues in some measure throughout the off-peak months.