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
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Recent Examples of taper
Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees, or CORE, work on two- to four-year assignments, though they traditionally have been routinely renewed, a system that allows the agency to build up and taper down its capacity as needed.
—
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The powder blue car was shaped like a torpedo, with Rolls-Royce’s unmistakable vertical grille, an open cockpit and a rear that tapered like a dove.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
On either side, the bodice of Blanchett's gown split into two billowing sleeves that tapered at her wrists.
—Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
Instead of a flowy, wide-leg silhouette, these pants feature a streamlined, tapered fit through the legs, all while keeping the same flexible, comfort-first waistband of most linen pant styles.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
The powder blue car was shaped like a torpedo, with Rolls-Royce’s unmistakable vertical grille, an open cockpit and a rear that tapered like a dove.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
On either side, the bodice of Blanchett's gown split into two billowing sleeves that tapered at her wrists.
—Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
Instead of a flowy, wide-leg silhouette, these pants feature a streamlined, tapered fit through the legs, all while keeping the same flexible, comfort-first waistband of most linen pant styles.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 June 2026
-
According to 2025 research from McKinsey & Company's Women in the Workplace report, women remain significantly underrepresented at the highest levels of leadership, with representation decreasing at each step up the corporate ladder.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Lugo now has time to let his symptoms subside.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
-
Yet while the pace of inflation subsided, bringing Social Security cost-of-living adjustments down in subsequent years, consumer prices have mostly stayed higher.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
While those shortfalls are diminishing, any sudden expenses, including those caused by factors outside of the city’s control, could quickly add to that burden.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
-
None of that diminishes anything for each of the 1,248 players who will participate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Consumer sentiment improved in June for the first time since the outbreak of the Iran war as gasoline prices eased in recent weeks, but shopper attitudes remained near their worst level on record, University of Michigan survey data on Friday showed.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
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As screens dominate work, school and leisure, knowing the warning signs and how to ease them has become a daily-life issue, not a niche health concern.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Lastly, never put a baseball cap in the dryer, as doing so may shrink or warp the material.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
12 June 2026
-
When steel towns shrink Two decades ago the mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, Jay Williams, garnered national attention by pushing policies that accepted the city’s population would never return to its former peak.—
Christopher Briem,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Ohtani declined a post-game interview request Thursday.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
-
The number of stray dog reports has declined in recent years.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Two families in Annapolis are displaced after trees fell onto homes following Friday's thunderstorm, according to city officials.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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Xcel Energy’s bills in Colorado continue to fall below the national average for electric rates, Isenberg added.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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