as in stepped
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in decreased
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
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 tapered
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Slimmer and tapered cuts (like the ones below) look great on petite frames.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
For the 98th Academy Awards, Roach is sporting a short pixie-like look complete with piecey, tousled layers and tapered sides.
—Jaimie Potters, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
This dripping results in most of the water freezing at the base, with less freezing at the tip, giving it a tapered shape.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Markle’s tapered trousers featured a front crease and a wide-leg silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
The Potomac frame forgoes sharp lines fora curved cutout headboard and tapered posts.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Straight cut, cigarette, stovepipe, pencil jeans -- all of these are names for variations on a jean cut close to the body with a non-tapered ankle that's nearly universally flattering and looks fresh again.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
Honesuki knives have a tapered triangular blade with a sharp tip and a sturdy spine.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Feb. 2026
Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Dynamic contrasts were boldly drawn, but phrases and passages were also beautifully tapered, up and down, when they were meant to.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 22 Mar. 2026
The cut is tapered and layered toward the back–behind the ears where hair tends to have most density–while leaving slightly longer pieces in the front for easy movement and face-framing shape.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
Cheetahs have tapered limbs with a lower moment of inertia, which should make running more efficient.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Elevated four feet at the highest point, the steps tapered to the ground and left enough space for the dog to retreat.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
Her wide forehead tapered to a sour mouth and little pointed chin.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But Juurlink found a case report from 1990 that documented a breast-feeding mother producing a milk sample whose concentration was fifteen per cent higher than Rani’s—and that was after the woman’s morphine dosage had been tapered by ninety per cent.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Finishes can also be adjusted by fit, meaning the process can be applied to the wide variety of jeans in the market like tapered, straight, wide or barrel.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Kirk and other retailers say that sales of tabletop items — everything from tapered candles to plates — are rapid-fire growth drivers, outpacing other categories of decor like bedding and decorative objects.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
Slimmer and tapered cuts (like the ones below) look great on petite frames.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
For the 98th Academy Awards, Roach is sporting a short pixie-like look complete with piecey, tousled layers and tapered sides.
—Jaimie Potters, InStyle, 15 Mar. 2026
This dripping results in most of the water freezing at the base, with less freezing at the tip, giving it a tapered shape.
—Ray Petelin, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Markle’s tapered trousers featured a front crease and a wide-leg silhouette.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026
The Potomac frame forgoes sharp lines fora curved cutout headboard and tapered posts.
—Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 19 Feb. 2026
Straight cut, cigarette, stovepipe, pencil jeans -- all of these are names for variations on a jean cut close to the body with a non-tapered ankle that's nearly universally flattering and looks fresh again.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026
Honesuki knives have a tapered triangular blade with a sharp tip and a sturdy spine.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
The company eventually abandoned that approach, selling the product through retailers, but sales still tapered out.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
Dynamic contrasts were boldly drawn, but phrases and passages were also beautifully tapered, up and down, when they were meant to.
—Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, 22 Mar. 2026
The cut is tapered and layered toward the back–behind the ears where hair tends to have most density–while leaving slightly longer pieces in the front for easy movement and face-framing shape.
—Amanda Le, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026
Cheetahs have tapered limbs with a lower moment of inertia, which should make running more efficient.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Elevated four feet at the highest point, the steps tapered to the ground and left enough space for the dog to retreat.
—Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
Her wide forehead tapered to a sour mouth and little pointed chin.
—Nell Freudenberger, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But Juurlink found a case report from 1990 that documented a breast-feeding mother producing a milk sample whose concentration was fifteen per cent higher than Rani’s—and that was after the woman’s morphine dosage had been tapered by ninety per cent.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Finishes can also be adjusted by fit, meaning the process can be applied to the wide variety of jeans in the market like tapered, straight, wide or barrel.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tapered
Verb
-
That was in 2021, when league revenues decreased as a result of the pandemic.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Shooting percentages rapidly decreased after the intermission, and each team scored just 11 points in the third quarter.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The flat logistic curve that makes the rising tide gradual also means the final climb toward 99%-plus reliability is a long one, a meaningful buffer for error-intolerant professions in law, medicine, and engineering.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Overall, Sosnowski predicts that a gradual warmup is forecast in most cases after a cool start to the week.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Almost immediately, all his physical woes subsided.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Johnson said Boulder County's restrictions will stay in place until the fire danger has consistently subsided.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Create phased repair plans for critical maintenance over 10 years.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Construction, which will include an exterior remodeling, is expected to begin later this year with phased openings, including additional retail, dining and wellness concepts, in 2028.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
More elderly people could find themselves at the mercy of an obscure government program meant to save them from harm and preserve their dignity when their ability to take care of themselves is diminished.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But with the chances of a Fed rate cut later this year highly diminished now and, with the reality that a cut (if it is issued) is likely to be by just 25 basis points, these estimates are unlikely to change dramatically, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the oil industry blames California's progressive policies for driving them out.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Sunshine died March 15 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after a battle with progressive supranuclear palsy, a family spokesperson announced.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Floorboards were milled from walnut trees felled at a construction site in North Carolina.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With a hollow interior trunk, Stumpy was among 158 trees felled in 2024 as part of a project aimed at shoring up a sea wall near the National Mall.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Taubel believes some of the supply problems have eased as early cultivator licensees' initial plants have fully grown and are cultivated.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Oil prices eased slightly during the day, but still remain elevated well above $100 per barrel.—
Damian J. Troise,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tapered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tapered. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
