taper

intransitive-verb
UK: /ˈteɪ.pər/
US: /ˈteɪ.pɚ/

  1. To become gradually narrower at one end.

    1. The candle will taper as it burns down.
    2. The road will taper to a narrow path after the bridge, be careful.

  2. To reduce gradually.

    1. The company will taper its operations over the next few months.
    2. The doctor advised to taper the medication slowly to avoid any withdrawal symptoms.

Synonyms

candle diminish narrow point decrease
taper transitive-verb

  1. To make something gradually narrower at one end.

    1. I will taper the wood to make a leg for the chair.
    2. The sculptor will taper the clay to create a more elegant shape for the statue.

  2. To diminish or reduce something gradually.

    1. The government will taper its spending on infrastructure projects next year.
    2. The factory will taper production in response to decreased consumer demand this winter.
taper noun

  1. A thin candle.

    1. She lit a taper in the dark room.
    2. He used a taper to light the larger candles on the altar last night.

  2. A gradual decrease in width or thickness.

    1. The vase has a slight taper towards the top.
    2. The designer included a subtle taper in the leg of the table for a more modern look.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "taper" in English means: To become gradually narrower at one end., To reduce gradually..

The phonetic transcription of "taper" is /ˈteɪ.pər/ in British English and /ˈteɪ.pɚ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "taper": candle, diminish, narrow, point, decrease.

Example usage of "taper": "The candle will taper as it burns down.". More examples on the page.