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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as in drains
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely
the oil company tapped that first well completely dry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taps
Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The collection itself taps into that sentiment, blending the playful, collectible spirit of Pokémon with everyday lifestyle pieces designed for both the familiar fan and the new.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
The route brings the pop singer across North American and Europe to play her biggest headlining shows ever, and taps Dhruv and Naomi Scott as openers.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 Apr. 2026
This effect was specifically found for childhood memories and not for recent ones, suggesting the illusion taps into a deep connection between body representations and memories anchored in the past.
—Utkarsh Gupta, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
Come evening, Mauro Rinaldo—the Alpina’s pianist of 25 years—taps a tune, while the Pizzininis mingle with guests dining on some of the area’s finest pizzas.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
In athletes, fat stored in muscle — predominantly in muscle fiber droplets — is an important energy reserve that the body taps into when a person exerts an extraordinary amount of energy.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
The apps and websites can only be accessed again once the user opens the Brick app and taps the phone back on the little grey box.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Here and there, taps that haven't seen water in years protrude from the earth.
—Julie Bourdin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Return your right hand to the floor and repeat on the other side (this time, left hand taps right shoulder).
—Jakob Roze, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
But even as these programs help rural towns and cities incrementally fix and upgrade drinking water systems, Hoosiers like Hobbs and Davis still face discolored water running from their taps.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
The research, published in Water, provides a detailed look at what was actually coming out of people’s taps in the wake of the crisis.
—Bridget Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Gabi Rae, a spokesperson for the town, said Erie was perilously close to having taps run dry because so many residents had started watering their lawns early amid the unseasonable heat.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
These come as touch-sensitive points that respond to different taps and holds.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
One roach died under the beer taps, and 30 flies played in the air next to the beer taps.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
The viral moment taps into years of lingering public skepticism and conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
Grogu adorably taps Pascal’s helmet amid a tense battle moment, and later the little guy has other cute moments like sneezing and frolicking down a flight of stairs.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The collection itself taps into that sentiment, blending the playful, collectible spirit of Pokémon with everyday lifestyle pieces designed for both the familiar fan and the new.
—Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
The route brings the pop singer across North American and Europe to play her biggest headlining shows ever, and taps Dhruv and Naomi Scott as openers.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 Apr. 2026
This effect was specifically found for childhood memories and not for recent ones, suggesting the illusion taps into a deep connection between body representations and memories anchored in the past.
—Utkarsh Gupta, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
Come evening, Mauro Rinaldo—the Alpina’s pianist of 25 years—taps a tune, while the Pizzininis mingle with guests dining on some of the area’s finest pizzas.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026
In athletes, fat stored in muscle — predominantly in muscle fiber droplets — is an important energy reserve that the body taps into when a person exerts an extraordinary amount of energy.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
The apps and websites can only be accessed again once the user opens the Brick app and taps the phone back on the little grey box.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Here and there, taps that haven't seen water in years protrude from the earth.
—Julie Bourdin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
Levi's taps into her consumer brand expertise from her days at Starbucks, compared to Kohl's retail focus; of course, that retail experience is now also serving Gass well as Levi's opens more of its own stores.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Return your right hand to the floor and repeat on the other side (this time, left hand taps right shoulder).
—Jakob Roze, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
But even as these programs help rural towns and cities incrementally fix and upgrade drinking water systems, Hoosiers like Hobbs and Davis still face discolored water running from their taps.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
The research, published in Water, provides a detailed look at what was actually coming out of people’s taps in the wake of the crisis.
—Bridget Shirvell, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026
Gabi Rae, a spokesperson for the town, said Erie was perilously close to having taps run dry because so many residents had started watering their lawns early amid the unseasonable heat.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
These come as touch-sensitive points that respond to different taps and holds.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 26 Mar. 2026
One roach died under the beer taps, and 30 flies played in the air next to the beer taps.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2026
The viral moment taps into years of lingering public skepticism and conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taps
valves
Noun
-
Visceral sounds of gyaaaaaaa (ギャアアアアア) convey squealing tires, while turbo blow-off valves let out a sweet doa (ドア).—
Caleb Jacobs,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Diodes act as one-way valves, blocking current from flowing back into the panels.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 05,
New Atlas,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Taps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taps. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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