ratcheted (down)

verb

variants also racheted (down)
past tense of ratchet (down)
as in decreased
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 ratcheted (down)
  1. decreased
  2. diminished
  3. ebbed
  4. shrank
  5. fell
  6. declined
  7. tapered off
Verb
  • In the decade between 2026 and 2016, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the hours men spend on household activities have fractionally increased, while the hours carried out by women have slightly decreased.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This number has decreased since 2015, when nearly 20% of Connecticut adults used tobacco products.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • And the Ku Klux Klan, though diminished from its earlier power, had not disappeared.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The value of a geographic component in roster management has diminished.
    — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • This is true if focusing on the standard price-to-earnings ratio, which has ebbed from 23 to 20 in the past 10 months.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The 25-year-old from California opened the final with some swagger, popping four aces in the first game, but his self-assurance quickly ebbed.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of ebbed
Verb
  • From 2004 to 2013, Chicago’s population shrank by 130,214 people, while unfunded pension obligations rose from $4,305 to $12,889 per resident, a Civic Federation analysis found.
    — Adam Drakulic, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Global demand has also shrunk significantly with rising prices, helping to balance the oil market and get oil to the customers who need it.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of shrank
Verb
  • Rincker, a German immigrant, was known for casting the bell that hung from the first Cook County Courthouse, which was felled by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Frightened that she may be plagued by the same mental illness that felled her mom, Gemma stubbornly refuses to believe anything is wrong.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of fell
Verb
  • Spokespeople for Canadian officials involved in the talks have repeatedly declined to provide additional details about the negotiations to NBC News.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026
  • City spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt said Independence has not been served with Kennon’s lawsuit and declined to comment.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • The conditions were wet and and slippery at first, but the rain appears to have tapered off now.
    — NBC News, NBC news, 28 June 2026
  • And several of the unflattering stats have tapered off a ton this last year, including sacks taken (27 in 2025, down from 62 in 2023).
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026
Definition of tapered 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

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

“Ratcheted (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheted%20%28down%29. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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