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
Relevance
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
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
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Musically, Byrne taps into modern-ish pop strategies via Harry Styles producer Kid Harpoon.
—Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
And McDonald’s Famous Order campaign, which taps into different celebrity and creator fandoms.
—Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The initiative taps UofL Health medical students and doctors to serve as mentors for elementary-age kids.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2025
In the footage, Atlas eventually taps Bingo's paw, prompting her to wake, before gently pawing at her again to garner her attention.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Saudi Arabia in particular is a waking giant as the world’s biggest crude oil exporter taps alternatives to reduce its domestic petroleum consumption and diversify its economy.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
For Vans, her vision represents an evolution, one that taps into a generation hungry for brands that embrace authenticity, creativity, and cultural crossover.
—Essence, 18 Aug. 2025
For a shorter option, this ribbed midi from The Drop taps into the trend without the extra length.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
At night, the playing of taps takes place.
—Paula Pedene, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Vista Ostuni will continue these efforts with automatic lighting systems; water-efficient taps; a more energy-efficient pool heating technique; and rainwater collection for low-demand landscaping.
—Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
At the corner of Central Avenue and Reserve Street stands a pale yellow basin ringed with silver taps.
—Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2025
Double-taps have been deployed deliberately in the past by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and Nigeria’s Boko Haram, which would send second suicide bombers to kill those trying to help victims of the first ones.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
At Strange Craft, like the other neighborhood spots, brewers and customers have time and space to discuss what makes the beers special, new taps coming up and the overall rhythms of life.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
In Georgia, the story of a couple whose taps ran dry when a Meta data center moved in next door went viral.
—Monica Nickelsburg, NPR, 17 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, the crypto platform launch taps into a fast-growing market segment that has generated hundreds of millions for competitors like Robinhood.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
The report taps dozens of data sources, including the census, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Musically, Byrne taps into modern-ish pop strategies via Harry Styles producer Kid Harpoon.
—Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
And McDonald’s Famous Order campaign, which taps into different celebrity and creator fandoms.
—Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The initiative taps UofL Health medical students and doctors to serve as mentors for elementary-age kids.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2025
In the footage, Atlas eventually taps Bingo's paw, prompting her to wake, before gently pawing at her again to garner her attention.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Saudi Arabia in particular is a waking giant as the world’s biggest crude oil exporter taps alternatives to reduce its domestic petroleum consumption and diversify its economy.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 18 Aug. 2025
For Vans, her vision represents an evolution, one that taps into a generation hungry for brands that embrace authenticity, creativity, and cultural crossover.
—Essence, 18 Aug. 2025
For a shorter option, this ribbed midi from The Drop taps into the trend without the extra length.
—Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
The venue offers 38 taps for its two-legged customers and treats and water bowls for its furry clientele.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
At night, the playing of taps takes place.
—Paula Pedene, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Vista Ostuni will continue these efforts with automatic lighting systems; water-efficient taps; a more energy-efficient pool heating technique; and rainwater collection for low-demand landscaping.
—Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2025
At the corner of Central Avenue and Reserve Street stands a pale yellow basin ringed with silver taps.
—Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2025
Double-taps have been deployed deliberately in the past by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and Nigeria’s Boko Haram, which would send second suicide bombers to kill those trying to help victims of the first ones.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
At Strange Craft, like the other neighborhood spots, brewers and customers have time and space to discuss what makes the beers special, new taps coming up and the overall rhythms of life.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2025
In Georgia, the story of a couple whose taps ran dry when a Meta data center moved in next door went viral.
—Monica Nickelsburg, NPR, 17 Aug. 2025
Meanwhile, the crypto platform launch taps into a fast-growing market segment that has generated hundreds of millions for competitors like Robinhood.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taps
valves
Noun
-
Four received cardiovascular tissue transplants that can replace valves and vessels in patients with congenital heart defects or heart disease.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Aug. 2025
-
They’re already widely used for other transplantable tissues, such as heart valves.—
David A. Brenner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taps. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share