tapers

verb

present tense third-person singular of taper
as in decreases
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tapers Its higher rise is complemented by a full leg that tapers slightly below the knee. — Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 14 Sep. 2026 Men’s styles include the 501 Loose and the Baggy Barrel, a roomy silhouette that tapers at the ankle and has waist adjusters for a customizable fit. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 Aug. 2026 The ideal location would be a wide area of groundwater flow that tapers into a narrow region. — Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026 Credit the on-trend silhouette, which tapers from knee to ankle, for making movement effortless. — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026 Kennedy’s new pyramid places meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables at the top (most consumed), and tapers down through fruits and vegetables to whole grains. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 July 2026 Inside, the Plex Solo Pro has a tub floor that tapers from 38 inches (97 cm) at the center to 28 in (71 cm) at the ends, running a total of 84 inches (213 cm) in length. — New Atlas, 18 July 2026 At first, the finish is very dewy, but that eventually tapers down to a natural base that is exceptionally radiant. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 18 July 2026 Meanwhile the tiered effect tapers the hair, adding extra volume at each level (like an upside-down coffee cup). — Elle Turner, Glamour, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapers
  1. decreases
  2. subsides
  3. diminishes
  4. eases
  5. shrinks
  6. falls
  7. declines
Verb
  • The front finally moves through on Friday, but some heavy rain will still be possible early, before the chance of rain decreases into the weekend.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Nebraska researchers also found that hafnia becomes more stable as its thickness decreases.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Chadchart said despite the heavy rain, flooding should recede once the rain subsides, as city officials are working to drain floodwaters as quickly as possible.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Ideally, those refugees would remain in human care for years or even decades until the mussel invasion subsides.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • By effectively raising the threshold in the playoffs, the NFL acknowledges that over-officiating diminishes the product and that marginal penalties should not decide its most important games.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Subtracting LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges somewhat diminishes the overall talent, but Charlotte wanted Miller and Knueppel to usher them into the next era.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • Her cheeks are flushed with a vivid, shimmering, nearly hot-pink blush that eases up a bit over the bridge of her nose.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The win eases some of the pressure on coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, who improved sharply on defense after last week's dispiriting home loss to Oregon.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of eases
Verb
  • As groundwater shrinks, those like Jan who can afford the upfront cost keep digging deeper; those who can’t rely on expensive tanker water or hand pumps at mosques.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Over the six episodes, alliances shift, egos clash, and pressure builds as the group shrinks.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of shrinks
Verb
  • In July, Reeves shared a brief clip of test footage of the upcoming film, which included the first proper look at Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne in a new Batsuit as what appears to be snow falls around him.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Margins shrink, investment capacity falls and businesses have fewer resources to innovate or improve the underlying infrastructure.
    — Sanjay Ghare, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of falls
Verb
  • Hur’s film declines to name a culprit, and its detractors argue the open ending points the finger at Park Chung-hee or his government.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Don’t wait until performance declines to question your systems, structure or strategy.
    — James Barlow, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of declines

Browse Nearby Words

taper off
tapers
tapers off
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Cite this Entry

“Tapers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapers. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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