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
Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
The long, tapered length adds to the edgy effect.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
The Lou & Grey Heathered Scubasoft Joggers are about to be your new in-flight uniform, featuring a tapered silhouette and stretchy elastic waistband that moves with you.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
This lightweight dress is effortlessly beautiful with refined details, including a smocked waistline that creates a tapered silhouette.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Kirk and other retailers say that sales of tabletop items — everything from tapered candles to plates — are rapid-fire growth drivers, outpacing other categories of decor like bedding and decorative objects.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Slimmer and tapered cuts (like the ones below) look great on petite frames.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
This dripping results in most of the water freezing at the base, with less freezing at the tip, giving it a tapered shape.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Markle’s tapered trousers featured a front crease and a wide-leg silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Dynamic contrasts were boldly drawn, but phrases and passages were also beautifully tapered, up and down, when they were meant to.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 22 Mar. 2026
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
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
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
Adjective
The car’s most eye-catching feature is arguably its tapered posterior.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 14 Apr. 2026
The long, tapered length adds to the edgy effect.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026
The Lou & Grey Heathered Scubasoft Joggers are about to be your new in-flight uniform, featuring a tapered silhouette and stretchy elastic waistband that moves with you.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
This lightweight dress is effortlessly beautiful with refined details, including a smocked waistline that creates a tapered silhouette.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
Kirk and other retailers say that sales of tabletop items — everything from tapered candles to plates — are rapid-fire growth drivers, outpacing other categories of decor like bedding and decorative objects.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Slimmer and tapered cuts (like the ones below) look great on petite frames.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
This dripping results in most of the water freezing at the base, with less freezing at the tip, giving it a tapered shape.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Markle’s tapered trousers featured a front crease and a wide-leg silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
The company eventually abandoned that approach, selling the product through retailers, but sales still tapered out.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Dynamic contrasts were boldly drawn, but phrases and passages were also beautifully tapered, up and down, when they were meant to.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 22 Mar. 2026
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered
Verb
-
Brent crude, the global benchmark, decreased to just more than $91 per barrel Friday afternoon after reaching lower to $89 earlier in the day.—
Ryan Mancini,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Though the number of deadly attacks by separatists has decreased in recent years, the conflict shows no sign of resolution.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But some observers foresee the nickel’s ultimate demise, given the steady march of inflation and the gradual erosion of purchasing power in a five-cent coin.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
-
That gradual shift in pressure, however, didn’t just happen overnight.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fortunately, drinking more water helped, and my symptoms eventually subsided.—
Jenna Anderson,
Health,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The be-ins, the marches, and the riots had mostly subsided, leaving a strange quiet in their place.—
Andrew Durbin,
Vulture,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Create phased repair plans for critical maintenance over 10 years.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Guthrie is 84, after all, and not in great health, so though in the first few days the focus was on trying to find her alive, at this point, the hopes of that have diminished greatly.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Quiet Maryam and mercurial Farhan—eight years apart—had often squabbled, gone through periods of not talking, but without her sister as a foil, Maryam was diminished.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Her announcement touched off a new round of progressive candidates backing away from the Iron Dome.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Wagner is among a bevy of hosts from progressive outlet Crooked Media who can be seen on MS NOW every Saturday night at 9 in clips from the collective’s sundry podcasts.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the piece, the Vicar of Christ is felled not by his oppressors but rather by a random cosmic event.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On a Wednesday morning at rush hour, the truck eased out of a loading dock and headed for the Interstate.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Treasury yields, the main benchmark for mortgage rates, have also eased.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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