tap 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈtap How to pronounce tap (audio)
Definition of tapnext
as in to drum
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

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tap

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to drain
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely the oil company tapped that first well completely dry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tap

3 of 3

noun

as in valve
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 tap
Verb
Last year, Comcast elevated Steve Croney to CEO of the Connectivity & Platforms business and tapped former Expedia and Apple executive Jon Gieselman as chief growth officer for the residential domestic businesses of Connectivity & Platforms. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 But there are countless hacky avenues that haven’t been tapped. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 Comcast has tapped Michael Angelakis, Comcast’s former CFO who has served as chairman and CEO of investment fund Atairos Group since 2015, to become CEO of Comcast following the NBCU spin. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026 And in 2024, she was tapped to lead the chamber’s budget committee. — Sarah Rankin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tap
  1. drum
  2. drain
  3. valve
  4. bang
  5. pump
Verb
  • In Malabo, Bioko’s biggest city, a team of men and women equipped with insecticide sprayers squeezed between low-rise cement buildings on a recent morning, as heavy rain drummed on aluminum roofs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That led to drumming on pots and pans, and, years later, a punky band, a 2010 release (The Hippy Hop EP) then a 2015 debut album, Look Up.
    — Katherine Turman, SPIN, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of drum
Verb
  • Allen drained it to extend Charlotte’s lead to 20, and then found Dennis Schröder for a high-five as Miami called a timeout.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • In hopes of restoring the water's blue hue, park rangers partially drained Morning Glory in the 1970s to extract debris.
    — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of drain
Noun
  • The latest account differs from an earlier explanation by Atlanta City Councilmember Dustin Hillis, who said an overnight water valve failure caused a supporting wall to collapse.
    — CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Mechanical overpressure relief valves, centrifugal governors and break-away clutches all behave deterministically, even when software systems have been compromised.
    — Andrew Ginter, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of valve
Verb
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Canada banged awkwardly into Williams’ knee on a box out during her late free throws and the Valkyries’ star was being cared for by an athletic trainer on the bench in the waning moments.
    — Janie McCauley, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of bang
Verb
  • An April 9 strike on a pumping station cut throughput by about 700,000 barrels a day before Saudi Arabia restored full capacity days later.
    — Steven John, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The result could spur a global scramble to pump more oil as quickly as possible, leaving the kingdom fighting to win back market share when the conflict ends amid a glut and lower prices.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pump

Phrases Containing tap

Browse Nearby Words

tantrums
tap
tap-dance
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Cite this Entry

“Tap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tap. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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