First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase level off
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
China has pledged to level-off carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 16, 2023
Critics say that despite the administration's rhetorical stress on targeting those with criminal records and a level-off in illegal immigration, programs such as Secure Communities are in practice leading to unjust deportations.
From Reuters ● Sep. 20, 2011
Temperatures in Belfast, Liverpool and Glasgow are likely to level off at a pleasant 20 to 24C.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
However, the benefits appear to level off after a certain point, meaning more caffeine is not necessarily better for the brain.
From Science Daily ● May 13, 2026
In February, Puig cautioned that it expects growth in the fragrance market to level off this year following a boom of perfume sales after the pandemic.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Though auto-insurance prices are projected to level off in 2026, lower insurance-company profits may push more costs onto consumers.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 23, 2025
After what seemed like one thousand and one nights of challenge the mountain began to level off and we started passing scattered lights on either side of the road.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
