ratchet down

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually <news stories about the kidnapping will ratchet down as the weeks go by> Synonyms abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, decrease (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, waneRelated Words compress, condense, constrict, contract; evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish; slacken, slow (down); alleviate, relax; flag, sink, weaken; cave (in), collapse, deflateNear Antonyms appear, emerge, show up; blow up, distend, elongate, lengthenAntonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax