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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Guests can participate in coral reef restoration, ecological monitoring and other hands-on initiatives that help decrease The Nam Hai’s environmental footprint.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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The agency waived age limits for new recruits, relaxed its vetting process, and decreased the training period for incoming officers.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Workers discovered a grave containing human remains beneath tiles after part of the floor of St Peter and Paul Church subsided in February, triggering a race to identify the skeleton through DNA testing.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
26 Mar. 2026
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The Royals are hopeful their April woes will subside.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Together, the potential departures of two of Kansas City’s most experienced lawmakers — one on his own terms, one forced — could play a role in shaping the city’s future and diminish its ability to secure local priorities at the federal level.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Some of the gags are inspired, some are exasperating, none of them are presented in a way that suggests the filmmakers know the difference, and all of them are shoved down your throat until they’re diminished enough to swallow.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With no sign of Tehran easing its blockade of the strait, oil prices were back up and stock values fell.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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That could ease cost pressures for hardware buyers such as server makers, with Evercore ISI pointing to potential upside for companies including Dell Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise if lower memory requirements improve system economics.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Framed as deregulation, the bill sets a statewide minimum lot size of 1,500 square feet while also shrinking setbacks and eliminating dimensional requirements that could stand in the way of building multiple compact homes on at least four acres of land.—
Mark Dee
March 28,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Mar. 2026
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Each episode follows Patouille, a small creature who can shrink and explore the inside of plants, and Momo, her companion, who has the ability to accelerate time.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the years-long investigation, Cherfilus-McCormick declined interview requests from the committee and provided little to no defense against the committee’s allegations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Some declined to provide their full names, citing safety concerns.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Night fell, and Martha came to a small black lake.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Photos shared on social media shows the massive slabs of rock fell just past a blind curve and the SUV sustained major front-end damage.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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