tap 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈtap How to pronounce tap (audio)
Definition of tapnext
as in to drum
to strike or cause to strike lightly and usually rhythmically tapped her foot in time to the music kept tapping the desk with his pencil

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tap

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to drain
to remove (liquid) gradually or completely the oil company tapped that first well completely dry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tap

3 of 3

noun

as in valve
a fixture for controlling the flow of a liquid turn the tap to the right for cold water and to the left for hot water

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tap
Verb
The collaboration also involved tapping Jimmy Eat World for some book recommendations. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026 The spots, which began airing in September, already have cost more than $12 million to run, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact, and a total of $20 million in Homeland Security Department funding has been tapped to pay for them. — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Alex Edelman has been tapped to host the event, which will also include an appearance from presenter Connie Britton. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 Josh Goldstine is being tapped as the head of Marketing and Distribution of all Skydance film labels including Paramount and Warner Bros, Deadline has confirmed. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tap
  1. drum
  2. drain
  3. valve
  4. bang
  5. pump
Verb
  • The man next to me on Saturday air-drummed the entire show, and a couple behind me kept commenting about how happy Hetfield looked on the big screen during every song.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Reddington sat pensive, drumming his fingers on the defense table.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of drum
Verb
  • Shawn and his father found the man on the easternmost coast of their island shortly after dusk, when the sky was drained of almost all its orange light and the waves had grown dark, topped with an eerie froth.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The road Game 3 win reigns supreme in Liberty lore after Sabrina Ionescu drained a 28-foot game-winning dagger.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of drain
Noun
  • His heart valves showed no signs of bacterial growth, but trace backflow was detected across one of his valves, a finding present in most people.
    — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There might not be a better way to release the pressure valve of fame and the grind of a world tour than a good old-fashioned game of Drop the Handkerchief.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of valve
Verb
  • The autistic girl had stopped hurting herself by banging her head on the floor when she was frustrated.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Officers were responding to a house sitter who discovered the damage while checking on loud banging in the home’s rear, police said.
    — Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of bang
Verb
  • That would mean oil, which is being pumped full out in the world and can't be reined in that quickly, would fill tankers everywhere and the only way to not upset the supply market would be to dump it anywhere.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • This is encouraging — trustworthy system should be able to pump the breaks and realize when data inputs are too unreliable to make accurate estimations.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pump

Phrases Containing tap

Browse Nearby Words

tantrums
tap
tap-dance
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Cite this Entry

“Tap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tap. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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