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
Relevance
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
Orange polymer clay is your best bet for a spring carrot DIY; roll the clay into a thick cylinder, taper one end, and use a dowel or skewer to create a large hole down the middle.
—
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
The torpedo bat is tapered at the end and has more mass in the barrel than a traditional model, allowing some hitters a better chance to turn on an inside pitch.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The slender residential towers would taper up from the Deauville’s reconstructed and reinterpreted covered concourse and would contain about 120 luxury condo units.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2025
Its blunt snout extends nearly 30% of its disc width, while its tail (which tapers smoothly) can grow to more than twice the size of its body!
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taper
Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025
The torpedo bat is tapered at the end and has more mass in the barrel than a traditional model, allowing some hitters a better chance to turn on an inside pitch.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The slender residential towers would taper up from the Deauville’s reconstructed and reinterpreted covered concourse and would contain about 120 luxury condo units.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2025
Its blunt snout extends nearly 30% of its disc width, while its tail (which tapers smoothly) can grow to more than twice the size of its body!
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
-
The number of Jesuits globally has steadily decreased since the 1960s, when there were more than 36,000.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Winds will decrease Friday night before increasing again Saturday morning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
But much of that has subsided now; the Steelers, after all, don’t have a second-round pick and trading up could be out of the question as a result.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2025
-
While immediate inflation concerns have subsided, the current administration's aggressive tariff and immigration policies are creating new economic anxieties that could lead to future instability.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Whereas a decline in home values diminishes the equity investors might hold in their properties, which limits their ability to leverage assets for additional investments or refinancing opportunities.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
-
Meanwhile, a more constrained and domestically focused healthcare agenda is likely to diminish trust in federal health agencies, limit access to culturally competent care and produce a loss of global leadership in health innovation.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Hygge practices also promote mindfulness, anchoring you in the present and easing symptoms of burnout and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
-
This shift acknowledges cannabis’s medical potential and eases some research restrictions.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
These sprays shrink the blood vessels in your nasal passages.—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The number shrank during Italy’s postwar economic boom as residents moved to the mainland for more modern housing — including indoor plumbing, which was lacking in Venice.—
Colleen Barry,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
County officials declined to comment on the civil lawsuit.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The hospital declined to say whether Ikner was one of their patients.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Rising bond yields Yields on 10-year Treasury bonds typically fall – and their prices rise - as investors flee stocks for the safe haven of Treasuries during economic slowdowns.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Sales are falling partly due to rising competition from other automakers’ EV offerings, especially in China.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share