taps 1 of 3

verb (1)

Definition of tapsnext
present tense third-person singular of tap
as in drums
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically tapped her foot in time to the music kept tapping the desk with his pencil

Synonyms & Similar Words

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taps

2 of 3

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of tap
as in drains
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely the oil company tapped that first well completely dry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

taps

3 of 3

noun

plural of tap
as in valves
a fixture for controlling the flow of a liquid turn the tap to the right for cold water and to the left for hot water

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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 taps
Verb
Kandi Burruss of The Real Housewives of Atlanta makes a cameo in the show’s final season to play Miss Jay, an investor Mavis taps to help fund a new blazer design. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 Aficionados spoke about how the brand taps into nostalgia for a certain time, even among those who weren’t alive then. — ABC News, 27 June 2026
Noun
The network taps established play-by-play voice Phil Liggett as the narrator and former cyclist Bob Roll as the lead analyst. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026 With just a few quick taps on their mobile apps or through a patient portal online, a patient can quickly get in touch with their physician’s office and leave a message or send a query. — Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for taps
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taps
  1. drums
  2. drains
  3. valves
  4. bangs
  5. pumps
Verb
  • Krieger and Densmore, the two surviving members of The Doors, are the backbone of the video, revisiting the signature guitar and drums parts more than a half-century after they were originally laid to wax.
    — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Instead of another room with a priest and young woman growling on the bed, the exorcisms in The Wailing are accompanied by chanting crowds, firepits, and drums beating as a great spectacle is made of the ritual.
    — Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of drums
Verb
  • But pushing through outdoor events in 90+-degree weather drains cognitive reserves rather than replenishing them.
    — Nicole F. Roberts, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Nutrient leaching when water drains out of containers and baskets adds to the problem.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of drains
Noun
  • In 1955, nearly all pipeline valves were manually run, often requiring vast numbers of workers to operate them.
    — Ian King, CNBC, 22 July 2026
  • Special high-flow racing cylinder heads feature CNC porting, competition valves, springs, seats and keepers designed to work with new high-lift/duration cams.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 July 2026
Definition of valves
Verb
  • Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • When selecting the perfect of-the-moment style for you (Jane Birkin bangs?
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 June 2026
Definition of bangs
Verb
  • The crustacean also has a sizable recreational and commercial fishery, which pumps significant money into the state’s economy, the department said.
    — Seamus Bozeman, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
  • At Royal Ascot in June, Camilla closed the meeting in sand suede Eliot Zed pumps with a bespoke honey heel after three consecutive days in Chanel.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
Definition of pumps

Browse Nearby Words

taprooms
taps
tar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Taps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taps. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on taps

Nglish: Translation of taps for Spanish Speakers

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