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
The cut is tapered and layered toward the back–behind the ears where hair tends to have most density–while leaving slightly longer pieces in the front for easy movement and face-framing shape.
—
Amanda Le, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The virus peaked sharply in January and remains elevated in early March, although the seasonal winter wave is now tapering.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
However, the bill tapers down the amount that can be pulled from the Taxpayer Relief Fund to 75% of the spending gap in fiscal year 2027 and back to 50% in fiscal year 2028.
—Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 5 Mar. 2026
Broce said the agency tapers services such as behavior aides for potentially self-sufficient teenagers with judicial involvement.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
Amanda Le, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
The virus peaked sharply in January and remains elevated in early March, although the seasonal winter wave is now tapering.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 6 Mar. 2026
However, the bill tapers down the amount that can be pulled from the Taxpayer Relief Fund to 75% of the spending gap in fiscal year 2027 and back to 50% in fiscal year 2028.
—Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register, 5 Mar. 2026
Broce said the agency tapers services such as behavior aides for potentially self-sufficient teenagers with judicial involvement.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
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But Israel and Hezbollah showed no signs of decreasing their attacks Friday.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The less experienced Tyler Kolek’s playing time decreased as well as the squad returned to full health.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tony Buxton, a climate and energy attorney at a legal and lobbying firm in Maine, told the WSJ that opposition to AI data centers in the state is unlikely to subside.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2026
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Efstathopoulos expects the speech to further fuel the risk-off sentiment as investors wait for uncertainty to subside.—
Anniek Bao,Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Panini currently holds licenses for those four federations, continuing the ongoing trend of Fanatics winning licenses, which diminishes Panini’s portfolio.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Competing Colors One painting mistake that will diminish the appearance of even the nicest new kitchen is not thoughtfully considering how your cabinet or wall color will coordinate with other elements in the room.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The People’s Bank of China reaffirmed its cautious monetary easing stance in a quarterly meeting last month, after delivering only one 10-basis-point reduction in the policy interest rate in 2025.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
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But the therapies to ease symptoms were punishing.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Miniature Wife Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen star in this dramedy about an egocentric scientist on the verge of a breakthrough who accidentally shrinks his wife, a Pulitzer-winning author who hasn’t written a lick in more than a decade.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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When gas prices go up, consumer purchasing power goes down, effectively shrinking how much disposable income people have.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His parents declined to comment to reporters afterward.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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The new listings, published Wednesday by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, cite factors such as warming ocean waters, melting sea ice and declining availability of food to sustain such species.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s led to a generation of kids being treated as Big Tech guinea pigs and falling student achievement scores.—
Abby McCloskey,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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The follow-up Saturday just fell short of also being special.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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