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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tapered
Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Draffan called out the exaggerated, tapered carrot-leg styles that seen at Marni and at the S/S ’26 Celine show.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Jan. 2026
Let Nour Hammour’s collarless leather jacket be the hero piece of this look, completed with Sharon Wauchob tapered pants.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
Use a tapered brush to blend—but be quick, the pigment dries fast.
—Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 31 Dec. 2025
The mid-calf pair came in a deep chocolate suede with a slim shaft and softly tapered toe.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 31 Dec. 2025
This included blazers, button-up shirts, tapered pants, Henleys and upscale active wear.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Dec. 2025
The jeans contour at the hips, creating a classic, tapered silhouette to elongate your legs.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025
Glue the edge of the paper to the toothpicks a little bit above the tapered edge and let dry.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Dec. 2025
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
The silhouette was defined by the bold square toe and a high, block-style heel that tapered slightly.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 22 Nov. 2025
Gomez opted for her signature long almond nail shape, tapered ever-so-slightly to keep them feeling both elegant and polished.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
On another occasion, he was spotted with another blue baseball cap and the back and sides of his head were obviously tapered.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
As was the case last season, Bunce has not tapered down the intensity of many sessions, with the opposite sometimes being the case.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
In a photo released by the company, a pair of the whales can be seen breaching the choppy surface, pointing their smooth, tapered heads into the air.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The ruching around the waist is incredibly flattering, as are the tapered sleeves.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Draffan called out the exaggerated, tapered carrot-leg styles that seen at Marni and at the S/S ’26 Celine show.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Jan. 2026
Let Nour Hammour’s collarless leather jacket be the hero piece of this look, completed with Sharon Wauchob tapered pants.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
Use a tapered brush to blend—but be quick, the pigment dries fast.
—Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 31 Dec. 2025
The mid-calf pair came in a deep chocolate suede with a slim shaft and softly tapered toe.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 31 Dec. 2025
This included blazers, button-up shirts, tapered pants, Henleys and upscale active wear.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Dec. 2025
The jeans contour at the hips, creating a classic, tapered silhouette to elongate your legs.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025
Glue the edge of the paper to the toothpicks a little bit above the tapered edge and let dry.
—Janna Oberdorf, Parents, 15 Dec. 2025
Verb
According to CNEVPost, despite a strong initial reception, sales have tapered, with November deliveries falling to 4,870 units—one of the lowest monthly figures this year.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Dec. 2025
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
The silhouette was defined by the bold square toe and a high, block-style heel that tapered slightly.
—Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 22 Nov. 2025
Gomez opted for her signature long almond nail shape, tapered ever-so-slightly to keep them feeling both elegant and polished.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
On another occasion, he was spotted with another blue baseball cap and the back and sides of his head were obviously tapered.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
As was the case last season, Bunce has not tapered down the intensity of many sessions, with the opposite sometimes being the case.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
In a photo released by the company, a pair of the whales can be seen breaching the choppy surface, pointing their smooth, tapered heads into the air.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered
Verb
-
Content licensing revenues decreased 27% to $59 million primarily due to the timing and availability of deliveries in the period.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The median sale price for detached homes remained flat at $650,000, while attached homes decreased by 3% to $388,220.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Add Slow-Release Fertilizer Incorporate worm castings or compost into the potting mix for a gradual nutrient release as the strawberries start to grow.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Many of those campuses have tried for years to shed reputations of elitism, with only gradual changes in enrollment.—
Collin Binkley,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In the two weeks since the Justice Department failed to fully meet a legal deadline to release its expansive tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein, old conspiracy theories about his life and death have subsided and new ones have taken shape.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
2 Jan. 2026
-
As entheogenic effects subsided, the digital-age healer pulled out her iPhone and showed me photos from her recent trip home.—
María Cristina Lalonde,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The site for the multi-phased project was formerly Flint Elementary School, which was built in the early 1950s and remained in use until merging with Blue Jacket Elementary in 1996.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Functioning as a modular toolkit, each module can be applied independently or concurrently—allowing phased adoption aligned with operational goals and capital availability.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Davie’s successor will inherit an organization wrestling with its place in a media ecosystem dominated by overseas tech giants, as well as battling enemies closer to home, with conservative politicians and media proprietors wishing to see the BBC diminished during charter renewal.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
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The war diminished Iran’s deterrence capability and exposed the regime’s weakness.—
CNN Staff,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
One proposal gaining support at least among progressive members is a payroll tax, loosely modeled after a Massachusetts measure, targeting companies that do not offer employees health insurance.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
It was later discovered Williams had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The at-bats were brief and uneventful, the opposite of the approach that carried Toronto to this stage and felled Snell in Game 1.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
-
That says a lot about the 2025 Red Sox, who were a top offensive team in many metrics, but were also felled by their bats in crucial spots throughout the year and postseason.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The France midfielder signed from Lyon in the summer has been eased into his Premier League career after a two-month injury layoff, with Guardiola using him mostly as an impact substitute since returning to action in mid-October.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
While spontaneous mentions of high prices increased for a fifth month, inflation expectations eased over the longer term.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tapered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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