tapping 1 of 2

verb (1)

Definition of tappingnext
present participle of tap
as in drumming
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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tapping

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of tap
as in draining
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 tapping
Verb
The couple were sold, tapping Buck without interviewing anyone else. — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026 As a Canadian company, Abrupt has a track record in international co-productions, production financing and tapping tax incentives and other soft money subsidies to get its documentaries made. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 Users can activate the feature by tapping the Gemini icon in Google Maps on their Car’s infotainment display. — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026 Global spending on data centers could reach $7 trillion by 2030, according to McKinsey, with Big Tech increasingly tapping private credit and taking on debt to fund the development of the facilities. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026 What might feel like a few seconds to the user is in actuality a long interlude of silent tapping. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 Ambrosio and Tordini set Superattico10’s dedicated campaign at the original space in Turin, tapping Drew Vickers to photograph the collection against the interiors conceived by architect and designer Carlo Mollino. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026 The plan manager generates a QR code by tapping their profile picture > Your Premium > Manage, and the plan member then scans it to complete the process. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026 The market is adjusting and a lot of the hyperscalers are tapping the market before their credit ratings get downgraded. — Shelly Banjo, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapping
  1. drumming
  2. draining
  3. banging
  4. pumping
Verb
  • 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
  • The Cocoon sessions found Morphine playing with different instrumentation, including piano and drumming from friends and collaborators.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of drumming
Verb
  • That means removing plants, mud and debris from boats, trailers and equipment; draining water from compartments; and allowing equipment to dry completely.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Secretly draining shared savings or hiding major debt are obvious betrayals.
    — Jenna Ryu, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • At first, there doesn’t seem to be much of a connection between the colorful, family-friendly world of Pokémon and the loud, head-banging techno genre.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Written by John Hughes, this tale about best pals Andie (Molly Ringwald) and Duckie (Jon Cryer) unfolds to a banging soundtrack and boasts a handful of scenes that remain generational signatures.
    — Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of banging
Verb
  • Nvidia’s road map calls for pumping a megawatt into a single rack.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That means a utility can’t look at a transformer, pumping station or pipeline segment in isolation.
    — Charlie Sanchez, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of pumping

Browse Nearby Words

tapped out
tapping
taproom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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