phaseout

1 of 2

noun

phase·​out ˈfāz-ˌau̇t How to pronounce phaseout (audio)
Synonyms of phaseoutnext
: a gradual stopping (as in operations or production) : a closing down by phases

phase out

2 of 2

verb

phased out; phasing out; phases out

transitive verb

: to discontinue the practice, production, or use of by phases

intransitive verb

: to stop production or operation by phases

Examples of phaseout in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Federal borrowing rules changed beginning July 1, 2026, including new loan limits and the phaseout of Grad PLUS loans for new borrowers. — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Even before this summer’s heat, the EU had begun loosening a number of its emissions targets and delaying the phaseout of gas and diesel vehicles, in an apparent effort to blunt the far right’s use of green policies as a campaign issue. — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
The law also phases out Graduate PLUS loans, which previously allowed eligible students to borrow up to their school’s full cost of attendance. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 While chemical rigs were new technology, they were still pulled by horses in those days until they were phased out in 1915. — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for phaseout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1951, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1940, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of phaseout was in 1940

Rhymes for phaseout

See All Rhymes for phaseout

Browse Nearby Words

Phaseolus
phaseout
phase out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phaseout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phaseout. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

phase out

verb
: to discontinue doing, producing, or using
phasing out old machinery

More from Merriam-Webster on phaseout

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for phaseout

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