taper

verb

ˈtā-pər How to pronounce taper (audio)
Definition of tapernext
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually you'll find the symptoms begin tapering gradually about 24 hours after you take the medicine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 taper Men’s styles include the Miles, a relaxed wide fit; the Jerald, a straight fit; the Benjamin, a tapered fit; the SlimR, a slim tapered; and the Hack, a slim straight. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 8 June 2026 There was also some speculation on Tuesday that a pause in construction for a data center in Wyoming may be a signal that overall demand for AI capacity may be tapering. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 10 June 2026 And the 2026 Lancet Psychiatry network meta-analysis of 76 trials found abrupt discontinuation of any antidepressant carried meaningfully higher relapse risk than slow tapering with psychological support. — Jonathan Slater, STAT, 13 May 2026 Cadre of On-Call Response/Recovery Employees, or CORE, work on two- to four-year assignments, though they traditionally have been routinely renewed, a system that allows the agency to build up and taper down its capacity as needed. — ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for taper
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taper
  1. decrease
  2. subside
  3. diminish
  4. ease
  5. shrink
  6. decline
  7. fall
Verb
  • Plus, new windows are more energy efficient than old ones, meaning a summer installation can decrease your energy bill now and when temperatures drop in the fall and winter.
    — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Doubles players fear for their tennis future after being told by the ATP Tour that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • Best Linen Pants Deals When blazing-hot afternoons suddenly subside into breezy evenings, linen pants help keep you cool while offering the right amount of coverage.
    — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • Investors’ fears of Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was launched in April, upending all cybersecurity software businesses, have since subsided.
    — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of subside
Verb
  • Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • The union said that unresolved complaints made against Hawk and existing climate issues have significantly diminished confidence among many educators.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Despite hot, humid conditions, a respectable crowd has already gathered, with organizers expecting attendance to grow as temperatures ease later this evening.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • This would let traffic flow, which is so necessary for the vitality and economy of Chicago; provide a safer route for bikers; and ease the frustration of all of those on the streets of Chicago.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of ease
Verb
  • The reason is that the administration has shrunk the requirements for reports of immunization from states, changing the reports from mandated to voluntary.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Just verify messages directly, use a password manager, turn on account alerts and shrink the personal data brokers keep on you.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of shrink
Verb
  • After years of declining sales, American Girl dolls are seeing a resurgence.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • In May, during a tense commission meeting, a majority of commissioners declined to give her a raise after her first year on the job.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The woman fell about 1,500 vertical feet, from around 12,000 feet to about 11,500 feet.
    — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of fall

Phrases Containing taper

Browse Nearby Words

taped
taper
tape recording
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Taper.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taper. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on taper

Nglish: Translation of taper for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All