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
Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
For the 98th Academy Awards, Roach is sporting a short pixie-like look complete with piecey, tousled layers and tapered sides.
—Jaimie Potters, InStyle, 15 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
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
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
It’s slightly tapered, but not tight.
—Kevin Gray, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Slimmer and tapered cuts (like the ones below) look great on petite frames.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
For the 98th Academy Awards, Roach is sporting a short pixie-like look complete with piecey, tousled layers and tapered sides.
—Jaimie Potters, InStyle, 15 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
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
Verb
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
It’s slightly tapered, but not tight.
—Kevin Gray, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered
Verb
-
In the past forty years, men’s wages have decreased as a percentage of over-all family income, while broader wealth inequalities and job insecurity have grown.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In two of six Minneapolis areas, overall crime decreased 43% and 56% respectively, while, in all other areas, overall crime rose.—
Eric Adler
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Many agree that relieving economic distress must be an immediate focus, but while some believe that should entail a gradual, socialist-style liberalization of the economy, others want a total transition to free-market capitalism, including more foreign investment and private enterprise.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Water levels have dropped roughly 7 feet so far this year and are forecast to continue a gradual decline through the months ahead.—
Daniel Manzo,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Government officials say new detentions have subsided since then, as the number of ICE officers in Minnesota has receded from a high of around 3,000 to close to their previous levels of over 100.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 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
-
Still, those sorts of phony statements have deeply diminished faith in our elections and our increasingly rickety democracy.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
How diminished will their opportunities for success be in the real world?—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the movie, which was progressive for its time, the trans character attempts suicide after being subjected to emotional and physical abuse by the manipulative Sonny, who tries to make amends by going rogue and stealing money for their surgery.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Upstairs, Riva Terrace is a super-fun warm-weather spot for Italian small plates and progressive cocktails like First Light (a pineapple-run creation infused with ginger and ginseng) overlooking the outdoor pool and the office buildings of downtown.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With a hollow interior trunk, Stumpy was among 158 trees felled in 2024 as part of a project aimed at shoring up a sea wall near the National Mall.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And to be sure, there were winds and rain strong enough to fell several trees, flood a few roads, and knock out power in some Maryland and Virginia suburbs.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Yet during the talks, Iran has eased some restrictions on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Sam Metz,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
At the same time, longer-term inflation expectations eased.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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