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
Meanwhile the tiered effect tapers the hair, adding extra volume at each level (like an upside-down coffee cup).
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Elle Turner,
Glamour,
4 May 2026
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.
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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
See All Example Sentences for taper
Elle Turner,
Glamour,
4 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
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This significantly minimizes cybersecurity risks by decreasing the number of outside players that may have access to the data through cloud or hardware infrastructure.
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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.
Verb
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Without tick bites, red meat, or dairy to incite it, the immune response will subside eventually.
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A little light headedness was the only immediate side effect for a first-timer, but that quickly subsided.
Verb
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Historically, after that period, the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly.
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Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
Verb
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In the bond market, Treasury yields eased with oil prices.
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May said the venue change helped ease some of the tension.
Verb
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What Research Shows About Cancer in Dogs While there is no evidence that turkey tail shrinks tumors, the mushroom has drawn real scientific interest as a complementary therapy for serious illness.
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Questions about whether shrinking schools is a viable path forward could soon resurface as Hutchinson and the board’s most labor-friendly members — directors Valarie Bachelor and Jennifer Brouhard — go up for re-election in November.
Verb
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With only a week of freedom under his belt, Cribbs said Powell is declining interviews for now, reentering the world with some trepidation.
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The Padres declined comment for this column.
Verb
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So far, Milei has defended his Cabinet chief, even as the scandal damaged his government’s public image, constrained his political leverage in negotiations with allies and undermined his communication about spending cuts to Argentines scraping by on salaries that increasingly fall behind inflation.
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As opposed to the first film, where a good girl falls for a bad boy, the sequel turns the concept upside down, with Pfeiffer playing the bad girl who falls for a good boy.
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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