level off: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to Formal
Quick answer
What does “level off” mean?
To stop increasing or decreasing and remain steady.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To stop increasing or decreasing and remain steady.
To become stable after a period of change; to move into a horizontal or stable position after ascent or descent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling preferences may apply to derived forms (e.g., 'levelled off' in BrE vs 'leveled off' in AmE).
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common and idiomatic in both British and American English.
Grammar
How to Use “level off” in a Sentence
Subject (intransitive): Prices will level off.Subject + at + Level: Growth levelled off at 3%.Subject + after + Period: Demand levelled off after the initial surge.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “level off” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- House prices have finally levelled off after the recent boom.
- The pilot levelled the aircraft off at 10,000 metres.
American English
- Unemployment numbers have leveled off this quarter.
- After the steep climb, the trail levels off for a mile.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for describing market trends, sales figures, and economic indicators stabilizing.
Academic
Common in economics, sociology, and environmental studies to describe data trends.
Everyday
Used for describing weather, moods, or a car ride becoming smoother.
Technical
In aviation, to describe an aircraft stopping its climb or descent to fly straight and level.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “level off”
- Using it transitively (e.g., *He levelled off the prices* is incorrect for the 'stabilise' meaning). Confusing with 'level out' (often interchangeable, but 'level out' can imply smoothing irregularities *within* a process).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Level off' specifically means to stop *changing* (especially increasing/decreasing) and remain stable. Something can 'stop' completely, but 'level off' implies continuation at a steady state.
Often yes, but subtle differences exist. 'Level out' can more strongly suggest eliminating ups and downs *within* a process (e.g., 'The road levelled out' suggests bumps were smoothed). 'Level off' is preferred for trends ending a rise/fall and plateauing.
The direct opposite depends on context. For a rising trend that stabilises, the opposite would be to 'resume climbing' or 'soar again'. For the concept itself, good antonyms are 'fluctuate' (to vary irregularly) or 'plummet'/'soar' (to change sharply).
No, it is generally inseparable in its intransitive meaning of 'stabilise'. You cannot insert an object. In the transitive aviation sense ('level the plane off'), it is separable.
To stop increasing or decreasing and remain steady.
Level off is usually neutral to formal in register.
Level off: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlev.əl ˈɒf/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlev.əl ˈɑːf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The dust has settled (similar in outcome, but different process).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a plane climbing steeply, then reaching cruising altitude and moving straight ahead – it LEVELS OFF.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHANGE IS UP/DOWN MOTION; STABILITY IS HORIZONTAL MOTION.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'level off' used INCORRECTLY?