tap 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈtap How to pronounce tap (audio)
Definition of tapnext
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically tapped her foot in time to the music kept tapping the desk with his pencil

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tap

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to drain
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely the oil company tapped that first well completely dry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tap

3 of 3

noun

as in valve
a fixture for controlling the flow of a liquid turn the tap to the right for cold water and to the left for hot water

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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 tap
Verb
Levi’s has also been tapping nostalgia and celebrities like Beyoncé to great success in the last few years, while Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle Outfitters have also re-elevated their brands. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026 Goodell was as good as his word, and the practice of double-tapping viewers with post-TD marketing messages is now about as defunct as the barefooted placekicker of yore. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Final Thoughts NexSnap is a reminder that taking screenshots needn't be complicated, and that a screen-capture utility should offer more than just the ability to tap PrtScn. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 For each of the five creations, Numarine tapped an international studio to bring their vision to life aboard the new 38XPC and 39MXPC models. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tap
  1. drum
  2. drain
  3. valve
  4. bang
  5. pump
Verb
  • The service As guests step foot on Jumeirah Olhahali Island, they are greeted with a joyous traditional Maldivian Boduberu dance accompanied by drumming and harmonious chants.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Welsh drummer who formerly performed with AC/DC, David Gilmour and more has decided to permanently take a step back from drumming.
    — Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of drum
Verb
  • In your audit, emergency reserves are separated from non-retirement assets because they should not ever be drained unless there is an emergency.
    — Cicely Jones, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Then, crews from the Urban Search and Rescue team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to drain the tank and help save the remaining bears from drowning, officials said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of drain
Noun
  • During that incident, hackers gained access to a digital system which remotely controls one of the dam’s valves and opened it to increase the water flow.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Robots had 30 minutes to identify hazardous substances, locate and shut off three open valves of different types, spot a fire, and then find a fire extinguisher to put it out.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of valve
Verb
  • Support for Infantino Eto’o is not the only person banging the drum for Infantino in what’s become an increasingly fractured landscape.
    — Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • On Sunday, residents of Jaimanitas, a neighborhood in the capital, took to the streets banging pots and pans to protest after 25 hours without electricity.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bang
Verb
  • Slowing down pumping velocities prevents dangerous suction vortices from forming near the ceiling intake.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But smart TVs also had a logical, consumer-friendly purpose before the industry started pumping them with ads.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pump

Phrases Containing tap

Browse Nearby Words

tantrums
tap
tap-dance
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Cite this Entry

“Tap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tap. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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