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Glite Dictionary
📉 To decrease 🔻 To narrow 🔻 Narrowing shape 🕯️ A thin candle
to taper

to taper

12 4.3
To make something narrower toward one end
  • verb
  • /ˈteɪpər/
translation icon : estrechar
  • The pencil's tip began to taper sharply, making it easier to write fine lines.
  • tapered shape
  • slightly tapered
  • tapered surface

It's a paddle style brush, but but it tapers to like a really nice point and that point gets really, really close underneath your eyes.

Examples

  • His hands were long and slender, the fingers ending in tapered nails that were polished a milky white.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • So but it goes to a certain point, it will taper down, right?

  • I have to taper it so light reaches the lower leaves during growing season.

    Stealing Harvard (2002)

  • I'm going to lead with the short end of my angle brush and then taper it with the long end.

  • They taper toward the neck.

    The Weather Man (2005)

  • Beyond the reef was a sandspit where the island tapered to its narrow southern end.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Her waist is small, and she has the hard thighs and tapered legs of a swimmer.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Dutifully, Alex took a breath and lifted the tapered glass of warm brew.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Perspiration glistened off the nape of his neck, dark hair tapering to a feather's point.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • The path will taper off as we climb the hill, leading to a beautiful viewpoint.

Synonyms

narrowing
vsto taper
4.9

Gradually getting narrower toward one end

is about the action of making or becoming narrower not just the state
tapering
vsto taper
4.7

Becoming gradually narrower toward one end

describes narrowing toward one end often ending in a point rather than general shrinking

Antonyms

to widen
85 2.5

To make something have more space from one side to the other so it fits or moves more easily

Phrasal Verbs

to taper off
9 4.5

To become smaller or weaker over time until it stops

Compounds

taper file
  • Specialized
8.2

A hand tool with edges that narrow to a point for shaping and smoothing metal or wood

How Narrow

to constrict
30 5.6
to taper
12 4.3
to narrow
65 2.1
to pinch
12 3.8

Surface Forms

taper infinitive
tapered past
tapered past participle
tapering present participle
tapers third person singular

Etymology

Taper as a verb means to make something gradually narrower toward one end. Imagine cutting a long stick or making a candle thin at the tip — that picture shows why you 'taper' something to make it narrow.