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
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
Morning rain showers on Friday should taper for a few hours of midday sunshine before rain chances increase again in the afternoon.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
The company eventually abandoned that approach, selling the product through retailers, but sales still tapered out.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
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
Morning rain showers on Friday should taper for a few hours of midday sunshine before rain chances increase again in the afternoon.
—Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026
The company eventually abandoned that approach, selling the product through retailers, but sales still tapered out.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
-
Miami’s decreasing rents fit into a larger trend in South Florida.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
-
The most recent Los Angeles County Quality of Life Index survey out of UCLA shows perception of public safety losing ground even as property crime has decreased modestly over the same period.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.—
Ahmad Mantash,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
Roberts said the injury has not subsided as quickly as the medical staff originally projected.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
According to the alliance, the theme emphasizes the LGBTQ+ community's place in American society, calls for resistance against efforts to diminish their rights and visibility and encourages people to live openly, proudly and without apology.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
Confidence Doesn’t Require an Apology Corporate culture often reinforces self-diminishing behavior.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria — like South Africa — had been easing monetary policy before the conflict broke out, but chose to hold their lending rates steady in recent weeks.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
But to ease you in, here is a reminder of some of the Premier League players who could be searching for a move this summer.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The Maoists’ shrinking realm sits atop rich veins of coal, iron, and bauxite – resources essential to India’s modernization and growing energy demands; Modi’s pledge to bring electricity to every household; and his broader ambition to transform India into a developed nation.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
And broadcast fees, which have long been a significant source of revenues for teams, will shrink as the league adjusts its framework for televising games to the streaming era, experts said.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Mahuna declined to say what evidence led investigators to identify Baker as a suspect.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
Officials cited budget deficits, underutilized buildings, and declining enrollment as reasons for the closures.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Demuth led the field through four ballots, but after Lindell failed to advance to the fifth ballot, Qualls took the lead and the number of votes cast fell.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
-
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Niall Horan opened up about the death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, who died in 2024 at the age of 31 after falling three floors from a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
