tapered
Americanadjective
-
becoming gradually thinner, narrower, or smaller toward one end.
The tapered table leg has long been a classic design.
The wine’s bouquet hit our nostrils the moment we opened the elegantly tapered bottle.
-
reduced gradually over time.
Once the allergic reaction had been alleviated, the patient was discharged with a tapered steroid dose and scheduled for outpatient follow-up.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tapered
First recorded in 1620–30; taper 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; taper 1 ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After I came off the bipolar meds, a different medication helped me through a hard year, and when I was ready, I tapered off slowly while working with my doctor.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
Some have sent a detailed proposal to the department setting out a "tapered" alternative scheme.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The commodity’s fresh bullish candlestick pattern posted on Friday suggests selling pressure has tapered, the analyst notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
The study "A southward differentiated impactor forms the tapered shape of the South Pole-Aitken impact basin on the Moon" was published in Science Advances.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 22, 2026
Abuela Celia’s fingers were tapered and delicate and rested on her hips.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
