taper

verb

ˈtā-pər How to pronounce taper (audio)
Definition of tapernext
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually you'll find the symptoms begin tapering gradually about 24 hours after you take the medicine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of taper Reddington asked if that was reasonable along with immediately stopping Clancy on Zoloft and not tapering her off? — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 Bryan Ramsey, a meteorologist for the weather service in New York, said the storm was moving East offshore Thursday evening and was expected to taper over the next several hours. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 The odds of prices hitting $85,000 also surged, up around 22 percentage points to 47%, with chances tapering the higher the target (30% for $90,000 and just 16% for $100,000). — Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 The sleeping surface measures 82 inches (208 cm) long and is widened via slim supplementary cushions to 57 inches (145 cm) at the head by the doors, tapering to 50 inches (127 cm) at the foot between the wheel wells. — New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
  1. decrease
  2. subside
  3. diminish
  4. ease
  5. shrink
  6. decline
  7. fall
Verb
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • To continue decreasing the vacancy rate, Center City Partners has focused on older buildings that aren’t as appealing to a return-to-office workforce That focus is on renovations or conversions.
    — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • Though impending rainstorms are likely to make rescue operations more difficult, officials say a previous threat from a lake that had formed on the border between Nepal and Tibet has substantially subsided.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Opinion ​polls gave the king firm backing to stay on for life, however, and the criticism subsided.
    — Terje Solsvik, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of subside
Verb
  • At least one expert said that some workers could have access to oxygen, but others warned that the chances of finding survivors were diminishing.
    — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Violence diminishes its victims, forcing everyone to play a single thankless role.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Anti-anxiety medications, including benzodiazepines such as Ativan, Librium, Xanax and Valium, can work quickly to ease extreme worry, fear, social anxiety or panic attacks.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Bidets may also ease discomfort from hemorrhoids, fistulas and anal fissures, and help people with chronic diarrhea or conditions that require frequent wiping.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of ease
Verb
  • Unless those policies change, a shrinking workforce will cause slower economic growth and lead to more expensive public debt.
    — Stuart Anderson, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This is in part because, whether owing to shrinking foreign-news budgets or to a reluctance to have individual correspondents expound on such a broad array of topics and countries, careers like Ascherson’s barely exist anymore.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of shrink
Verb
  • Castro was released from a Texas jail last week after a judge declined to order his return to Minnesota.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • As a result of these shifts, in the last year, while the Nifty 50 has declined by more than 2%, the Nifty Midcap 150 index is up 10%, as per LSEG data.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The share of mid-cap companies in that has increased to 20% from 14% while that of 100 large-cap companies has fallen from 78% to 72%, the report showed.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The company says its reactor’s electrical output falls within the range of a high-performance vehicle drivetrain.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of fall

Phrases Containing taper

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taped
taper
tape recording
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Cite this Entry

“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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