taper

¹ American  

[tey-per] / ˈteɪ pər /

verb (used without object)

tapers, present (3rd person singular) tapered, past participle, past tapering present participle

1. to become smaller or thinner toward one end.

2. to grow gradually lean.

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verb (used with object)

tapers, present (3rd person singular) tapered, past participle, past tapering present participle

1. to make gradually smaller toward one end.

2. to reduce gradually.

noun

1. gradual diminution of width or thickness in an elongated object.

2. gradual decrease of force, capacity, etc.

3. anything having a tapering form, as a spire or obelisk.

4. a candle, especially a very slender one.

5. a long wick coated with wax, tallow, or the like, as for use in lighting candles or gas.

verb phrase

1. taper off

   1. to become gradually more slender toward one end.

   2. to cease by degrees; decrease; diminish.

      The storm is beginning to taper off now.

      I haven't stopped smoking entirely, but I'm tapering off to three cigarettes a day.

taper ² American  

[tey-per] / ˈteɪ pər /

noun

1. a person who records or edits magnetic tape, videotape, etc.

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taper British  

/ ˈteɪpə /

verb

1. to become or cause to become narrower towards one end

   the spire tapers to a point

2. (often foll by off) to become or cause to become smaller or less significant

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noun

1. a thin candle

2. a thin wooden or waxed strip for transferring a flame; spill

3. a narrowing

4. engineering (in conical parts) the amount of variation in the diameter per unit of length

5. any feeble source of light

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• taperer
  noun
• tapering
  adjective
• untapering
  adjective
• taperingly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• tapering
  present
• tapered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• taper
  simple
• tapers
  simple
• have tapered
  perfect
• has tapered
  perfect
• am tapering
  progressive
• are tapering
  progressive
• is tapering
  progressive
• have been tapering
  perfect progressive
• has been tapering
  perfect progressive

Past

• tapered
  simple
• had tapered
  perfect
• was tapering
  progressive
• were tapering
  progressive
• had been tapering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will taper
  simple
• will have tapered
  perfect
• will be tapering
  progressive
• will have been tapering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of taper¹

First recorded before 900; from Middle English: “wax candle,” from Old English, variant of tapur, dissimilated variant of unattested papur paper

Origin of taper²

First recorded in 1980–85; tape + -er ¹

Explanation

To taper is to gradually grow smaller or more narrow or less intense. Taper is often used with the word "off." Part of the power of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is how the two walls appear to taper off into infinity. As a verb, taper can refer not just to physical objects that narrow: the weather forecast might call for heavy snow that will taper off at the end of the day, and public interest in a political scandal might taper off over time. As a noun, taper refers to a shape that narrows at one end, and it's also another word for a candle that is smaller at one end than the other. "Narrow candle" is the original meaning of the word, and it seems to derive from the Latin papyrus, which was once used to make candle wicks.

Example Sentences

The consensus view for now is that capex growth will taper off after next year while revenue keeps surging, allowing free cash flow to rebound in a V-shaped recovery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

Also, we would reassess if we see demand for AI services taper off.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

The overall rate of inflation tends to slow down once oil prices taper off.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

“Steady precipitation will taper off to showers by late this afternoon and become confined to the mountains by late tonight,” the weather service posted in a Thursday morning forecast.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Jon lit a taper from an ember in his brazier and three candles from the taper.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• abate
• dwindle
• lessen
• recede
• subside