as in stepped
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as in decreased
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 tapered
Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Straight cut, cigarette, stovepipe, pencil jeans -- all of these are names for variations on a jean cut close to the body with a non-tapered ankle that's nearly universally flattering and looks fresh again.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
Honesuki knives have a tapered triangular blade with a sharp tip and a sturdy spine.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Feb. 2026
With or without a top, the wide, tapered jeans make a statement on their own, so why not pair them with a crop top?
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Feb. 2026
Dress them up or down depending on the occasion, but my favorite way to sport them is with a simple white tee, boyfriend blazer, and tapered pair of light-wash denim.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Blue squares of sky cut through the empty windows, while tapered marble columns create an optical illusion that makes the two-story structure even grander.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The flowers are small, reddish-pink, and spike-shaped, growing in tight clusters on tapered stems, accompanied by attractive waxy leaves.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 Feb. 2026
Yellow Sunrise is a new variety of a vertical-growing pothos species (Epipremnum pinnatum) with tapered leaves, bright yellow marbling, and fenestrations or cuts of the kind seen on split leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa).
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Elevated four feet at the highest point, the steps tapered to the ground and left enough space for the dog to retreat.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
This Dad Jean cut is especially good, bridging the gap between relaxed and tapered with a straight-leg silhouette and non-stretch denim.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Her wide forehead tapered to a sour mouth and little pointed chin.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But Juurlink found a case report from 1990 that documented a breast-feeding mother producing a milk sample whose concentration was fifteen per cent higher than Rani’s—and that was after the woman’s morphine dosage had been tapered by ninety per cent.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Finishes can also be adjusted by fit, meaning the process can be applied to the wide variety of jeans in the market like tapered, straight, wide or barrel.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
It’s slightly tapered, but not tight.
—Kevin Gray, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
While fund ownership of Saudi stocks hit a record high in 2025, growth has tapered in recent months, according to Copley Fund Research.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Adjective
The Potomac frame forgoes sharp lines fora curved cutout headboard and tapered posts.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Straight cut, cigarette, stovepipe, pencil jeans -- all of these are names for variations on a jean cut close to the body with a non-tapered ankle that's nearly universally flattering and looks fresh again.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
Honesuki knives have a tapered triangular blade with a sharp tip and a sturdy spine.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Feb. 2026
With or without a top, the wide, tapered jeans make a statement on their own, so why not pair them with a crop top?
—India Roby, InStyle, 16 Feb. 2026
Dress them up or down depending on the occasion, but my favorite way to sport them is with a simple white tee, boyfriend blazer, and tapered pair of light-wash denim.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Blue squares of sky cut through the empty windows, while tapered marble columns create an optical illusion that makes the two-story structure even grander.
—Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
The flowers are small, reddish-pink, and spike-shaped, growing in tight clusters on tapered stems, accompanied by attractive waxy leaves.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 Feb. 2026
Yellow Sunrise is a new variety of a vertical-growing pothos species (Epipremnum pinnatum) with tapered leaves, bright yellow marbling, and fenestrations or cuts of the kind seen on split leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa).
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Cheetahs have tapered limbs with a lower moment of inertia, which should make running more efficient.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Elevated four feet at the highest point, the steps tapered to the ground and left enough space for the dog to retreat.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
This Dad Jean cut is especially good, bridging the gap between relaxed and tapered with a straight-leg silhouette and non-stretch denim.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Her wide forehead tapered to a sour mouth and little pointed chin.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But Juurlink found a case report from 1990 that documented a breast-feeding mother producing a milk sample whose concentration was fifteen per cent higher than Rani’s—and that was after the woman’s morphine dosage had been tapered by ninety per cent.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Finishes can also be adjusted by fit, meaning the process can be applied to the wide variety of jeans in the market like tapered, straight, wide or barrel.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
It’s slightly tapered, but not tight.
—Kevin Gray, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
While fund ownership of Saudi stocks hit a record high in 2025, growth has tapered in recent months, according to Copley Fund Research.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered
Verb
-
Our infrastructure has failed to meet the demands of rapid expansion, as evidenced by the 12-year neglect of Eastland, which resulted in job losses and decreased tax revenue.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
-
With regard to housing, incentives can be made available, lot sizes decreased, and alternative approaches are plentiful.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead, restrictive financial policies would show up as higher interest costs, slower growth, inflation pressures, unlikeable taxes and years of gradual adjustment.—
Steve Booren,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The result is not merely confusion about who is responsible but a gradual weakening of the expectations that make responsibility meaningful at all.—
Deb Roy,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For now, however, the discontent from TikTok’s American users that marred its first few weeks under new ownership seems to have largely subsided.—
Matthew Chin,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
-
While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Construction, which will include an exterior remodeling, is expected to begin later this year with phased openings, including additional retail, dining and wellness concepts, in 2028.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Northwood, based in southern California, makes phased array antennas, mobile ground infrastructure that increases satellites’ connectivity to Earth.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Wollenzien also points to the growing anxiety among professional artists about job security, as more than two-thirds of workers in creative industries believe that AI has diminished their employability in workplaces.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
That diminished view of the Democratic Party in the AP-NORC polling is consistent regardless of Democrats’ age, race, ideology or educational background — suggesting that appealing to a specific group or two won’t fix the problem.—
Linley Sanders,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Jackson was hospitalized in November and later diagnosed with a degenerative condition called progressive supranuclear palsy, CBS News reported.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Feb. 2026
-
A day after the election, the National Anti-Corruption Commission found 44 progressive opposition lawmakers guilty for trying to amend lese majeste.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Afterward, Agnes and I were felled by the kind of hunger that overtakes only those who have exerted themselves in cold weather.—
Boris Fishman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Before the games, James eased his way to the interview podium with a giant water jug in his hand and a do-rag covering his hair, the last of the All-Stars to speak with the media.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
While tensions eased with time, residual remained, emerging again amid national protests over ICE raids.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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