phaseout

1 of 2

noun

phase·​out ˈfāz-ˌau̇t How to pronounce phaseout (audio)
: 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
In 2022 the Department of Energy issued rules that began a phaseout of energy-wasting lightbulbs by requiring that lightbulbs sold in the United States meet new, higher minimum efficiency standards by 2028. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025 Yet, unresolved issues like funding for loss and damage and the role of fossil fuel phaseouts left critical questions for the future. Monica Sanders, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
Innovative Companies Lead The Way Some innovative businesses such as IKEA, Kaiser Permanente, Levi Strauss, and Crate & Barrel have used the Six Classes approach to phase out entire classes of chemicals of concern. Arlene Blum, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 King said the decision to phase out the satellite campus stems from the high costs of operation. Krissy Waite, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Phaseout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phaseout. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

phase out

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

More from Merriam-Webster on phaseout

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