tapping

noun

tap·​ping ˈta-piŋ How to pronounce tapping (audio)
Synonyms of tappingnext
: the act, process, or means by which something is tapped

Examples of tapping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Dating as far back as the Game Boy, Nintendo consoles have long appealed to players who like a little toe-tapping with their alien-zapping. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 Indeed, the tapping of an individual button is perhaps the least significant event on the planet, shifting nothing apart from the dust beneath it. — Literary Hub, 19 May 2026 And that became mighty inconvenient in the seventh inning, when shortstop Willy Adames swung through a pitch, grimaced with lower back pain and made a tapping-out gesture to the dugout. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 29 June 2026 Who among us has not experienced an inability to ignore repetitive tapping, clicking, chewing, smacking, and sniffling? — Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tapping

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tapping was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing tapping

Rhymes for tapping

See All Rhymes for tapping

Browse Nearby Words

tappietoorie
tapping
tapping drill
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tapping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tapping. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tapping

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tapping

Nglish: Translation of tapping for Spanish Speakers

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