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
Even squid leave identifiable wounds: circular sucker marks tapering in size along the shark’s skin.
—
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
There were little white triangles running down the reddish-brown side of its furry body, like insignia on the side of a warplane; all tapering down to a sharp end that looked like a stinger.
—Mark Gauert, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2025
The series peaks at 119,000 notes in January 2025 before tapering to 56,000 notes in May.
—Joe Murphy, NBC news, 6 June 2025
Billy Joel knows life isn't about happy endings As the film tapers to a close, Joel is steering his boat – the Alexa, named for his daughter with ex-wife Christie Brinkley – with a cigar in his mouth and his eyes focused on the water of Oyster Bay.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for taper
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
There were little white triangles running down the reddish-brown side of its furry body, like insignia on the side of a warplane; all tapering down to a sharp end that looked like a stinger.
—Mark Gauert, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2025
The series peaks at 119,000 notes in January 2025 before tapering to 56,000 notes in May.
—Joe Murphy, NBC news, 6 June 2025
Billy Joel knows life isn't about happy endings As the film tapers to a close, Joel is steering his boat – the Alexa, named for his daughter with ex-wife Christie Brinkley – with a cigar in his mouth and his eyes focused on the water of Oyster Bay.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
Verb
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Revenue has remained relatively stagnant, decreasing slightly from $153 million to $152 million over the past year.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
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Following Monday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 220 shares of GS, decreasing its weighting to about 4.35% from about 4.75%.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The excitement over Tesla’s robotaxi launch is subsiding as fewer social media videos are posted.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
2 July 2025
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Investors have cheered as stocks have swiftly recovered to fresh highs and volatility has subsided.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The best wrinkle creams on Amazon prove that drugstore prices don't diminish efficacy.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
8 July 2025
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Eggs may not be quite so extreme, since the bird flu problem is expected to diminish.—
Jan Ellen Spiegel,
Hartford Courant,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Even if paroled in Washington, California has active murder charges pending, Pack explained, working to ease concerns for those who are worried about public safety if he is paroled.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
9 July 2025
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The forum comes one day after Detroit City Council approved regulatory changes to ease the burdens of obtaining a business license in the city.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Amazon and other tech companies have also been shrinking their workforces through rolling layoffs over the past several years.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
1 July 2025
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This time limit shrinks to 1 hour if the mercury rises to 90°F or higher, according to the USDA.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2025
Verb
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LeBron James already opted in to a $52.6 million deal with the Lakers for next season, the Rockets traded for Durant and the Los Angeles Clippers saw James Harden decline his option in return for a new deal and a raise.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
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At the time, Harvard declined to comment on the president’s post.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Starbucks' same-store sales in China were flat in the first quarter this year after falling for four consecutive quarters .—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
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Partner that with another warning sign: A declining ratio of U.S. exports to imports while the U.S. deficit increases into record territory – like trade falling two months in a row, atypical since the former tends to remain steady even as the deficit increases.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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