Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

tail off

British  

verb

  1. (adverb, usually intr) to decrease or cause to decrease in quantity, degree, etc, esp gradually

    his interest in collecting stamps tailed off over the years
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
tail off Idioms  

  1. Also, tail away. Diminish gradually, subside, as in The fireworks tailed off into darkness. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

My parents told me that was possible, but only if I made sacrifices, worked my tail off and dedicated everything I had to it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

"He'll rehab his tail off and get back to being healthy," Payton predicted.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

There was much to admire about about his team's performance, although it was perhaps inevitable that they would tail off.

From BBC • Sep. 7, 2024

“I’ve been working my tail off just to get to this point and working my tail off for the points after.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2024

His only suggestion was that the race be held sooner than September, as the form of either horse might tail off before then.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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.