ratchet (down)

verb

variants also rachet (down)
Definition of ratchet (down)next
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually news stories about the kidnapping will ratchet down as the weeks go by

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratchet (down)
  1. decrease
  2. diminish
  3. shrink
  4. ebb
  5. decline
  6. taper off
Verb
  • Doing so would inevitably raise the price of the shoes, and the performance-to-value ratio that’s such a big appeal now would decrease.
    — Scott Douglas, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • As traffic in the waterway decreases, the oil market is facing the same squeeze that has taken millions of barrels offline per day since March.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • None of these concerns diminish the strength of the Jersey Mike’s brand.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • At 28 years old, clubs will also factor in his diminishing resale value.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • Winegrape-bearing acreage in California has shrunk steadily since 2013.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • Home services sits on an aging housing stock, an aging population and a shrinking labor pool, three forces that are not likely to reverse in 2026.
    — Sergei Kaminskiy, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of shrink
Verb
  • On SpaceX’s first day of trading, Wood’s Ark invested about half a billion in SpaceX, and has purchased more as the price has ebbed since its opening day.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 July 2026
  • The autocracies are surging, and democracies ebbing.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of ebb
Verb
  • Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, who previously oversaw the prosecution against Hermes, declined to comment on the closed criminal case or Hermes’ campaign.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026
  • However, declining vaccination rates fueled by vaccine hesitancy have created pockets of susceptible individuals where the virus can spread quickly.
    — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The rain will be tapering off and skies will be clearing in the afternoon.
    — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • The rain was expected to taper off, but another round of showers worsened already swollen rivers and flooded rural communities near the border with Mexico that had largely been spared major damage.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Definition of taper off
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.

Browse Nearby Words

ratbags
ratchet (down)
ratcheted (down)
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Cite this Entry

“Ratchet (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchet%20%28down%29. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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