as in decreasing
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 tapering
The style features an exaggerated fit that balloons out from the hip before tapering at the ankle, creating a sculptural, banana-like silhouette, according to British Vogue.
—
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Many full-size van models also lack the necessary width for a transverse rear bed, tapering in toward the roof to cut width below what's necessary for a builder to install a transverse bed in the over-load floor space.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Employment peaked at 42,000 before tapering as the line itself grew more efficient.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
British star architect Shaun Killa designed the structure to resemble a luxury yacht pulling out of the harbor—smooth, elongated and tapering at both ends.
—Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Plant the tallest items at the back of the bed, tapering down to the shortest ones at the front of the planting area closest to the walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Many full-size van models also lack the necessary width for a transverse rear bed, tapering in toward the roof to cut width below what's necessary for a builder to install a transverse bed in the over-load floor space.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Employment peaked at 42,000 before tapering as the line itself grew more efficient.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
British star architect Shaun Killa designed the structure to resemble a luxury yacht pulling out of the harbor—smooth, elongated and tapering at both ends.
—Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Plant the tallest items at the back of the bed, tapering down to the shortest ones at the front of the planting area closest to the walk.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapering
Verb
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High pressure will build in behind the storm, resulting in dry weather and decreasing winds.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
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Moreover, parlay bets are getting more complicated as time goes on, decreasing the chances of winning.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From the Luddites smashing looms in 19th-century England to autoworkers walking out over the introduction of robots to the factory floor in the 1980s, resistance has flared before either being crushed or subsiding, giving way to the new economies and social orders the technologies ushered in.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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During the recent measles outbreak centered in Texas, the Pandemic Center’s data contradicted Kennedy’s assertions that the crisis was subsiding, Jennifer Nuzzo, the director of the Pandemic Center, told me.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But relying on a 35-year-old, who was already showing signs of decline with diminishing velocity, to return to being one of the best pitchers in the sport after Tommy John surgery, is a risk.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Their patches of habitat and their water sources are diminishing; their feeding timeline has grown increasingly erratic, and more barricades are being built all the time, limiting their freedom of movement.—
Ganesh Marín,
The Dial,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Trump in recent weeks has taken a notably tougher tact with Putin, after the Russian leader has declined to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy about easing fighting.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Oct. 2025
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This signals that Beijing isn’t easing policy as aggressively as before, despite the property slump.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Screening is key Across all ages, colorectal cancer cases and related deaths in the US have been declining for decades, Ng said, attributing that success to improvements in treatment and public health efforts to promote screening.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many consumers have started to turn their backs on luxury goods; fed up with a lack of ingenuity, skyrocketing daily expenses, and arguably declining quality, shoppers are thinking twice before splurging on designer items.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The hope for gold-producing nations like Ghana is to responsibly leverage this bountiful natural resource without falling prey to environmental degradation and civil strife.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
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Volatility returns to markets Wall Street’s fear gauge, the VIX, jumped 31% on Friday — its biggest one-day gain since April — before falling 12% on Monday.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Supporters argue that downstate residents have been politically sidelined for decades — victims of a system that concentrates power and money in Chicago while rural communities struggle with job losses, rising taxes, and shrinking populations.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Following a young woman navigating life after growing up in an orphanage, the film transforms her shrinking apartment into a dreamlike maze of memory and loss, using striking visual metaphors to explore belonging, self-worth, and the fragile hope of starting over.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tapering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapering. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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