# ease off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ease-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to become less strong, intense, or serious; you use this when something like rain, pain, or pressure starts to go away.

For teachers: to diminish in intensity, pressure, or severity; can be used intransitively or transitively to describe a reduction in effort or force.

## Examples

- The rain is starting to ease off now.
- After the busy holiday season, the workload usually begins to ease off in January.
- The central bank may ease off on interest rate hikes if inflation figures continue to show a downward trend over the next quarter.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The storm eased out after an hour." but "The storm eased off after an hour." — the particle 'off' is required to indicate a reduction in intensity; 'ease out' means to remove someone from a position slowly.

## Usage notes

- often used with weather, physical pain, or work pressure as the subject.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'let up' (often for weather) and 'subside' (more formal); highlight that it can also mean to treat someone less strictly when followed by 'on'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.