tapered

9 synonyms and 2 antonyms for tapered, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Becoming gradually narrower towards one end.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

reduced

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

fitted

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

narrowing conical slim-fit tapering wound down scaled back phased out

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Becoming gradually narrower towards one end.

“The trousers are tapered from the knee down.”

narrowing conical fitted slim-fit tapering

Opposites

straight-cut flared

2. verb

Past tense of taper: to reduce something gradually rather than stopping it at once.

“The clinic tapered his dose over eight weeks.”

reduced wound down scaled back phased out

How to use tapered

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

tapered trousers tapered fit tapered off tapered edge tapered haircut

Etymology

From taper, originally a slender wax candle, from Old English tapor, probably from Latin papyrus, whose pith was used for wicks; the narrow candle shape gave the word its meaning of gradual narrowing.

Full origin of tapered →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between tapered and slim-fit trousers?

Slim-fit trousers are cut narrow all the way down the leg. Tapered trousers keep more room through the hip and thigh and only narrow below the knee, which is why they suit fuller legs better.

What does 'tapered off' mean?

It means something decreased steadily until it stopped or nearly stopped. It is used for rain, noise, sales, crowds and medication, and always implies a gradual fade rather than an abrupt end.

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reduced fitted narrowing tapering conical flared

Nearby words

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