variants
also racheting (down)
as in decreasing
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 ratcheting (down)
Verb
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High pressure will build in behind the storm, resulting in dry weather and decreasing winds.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025 -
Moreover, parlay bets are getting more complicated as time goes on, decreasing the chances of winning.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But relying on a 35-year-old, who was already showing signs of decline with diminishing velocity, to return to being one of the best pitchers in the sport after Tommy John surgery, is a risk.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Their patches of habitat and their water sources are diminishing; their feeding timeline has grown increasingly erratic, and more barricades are being built all the time, limiting their freedom of movement.—
Ganesh Marín,
The Dial,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In ‘04, three seasons after the last of five national championships, Miami’s glory-days era was ebbing.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Supporters argue that downstate residents have been politically sidelined for decades — victims of a system that concentrates power and money in Chicago while rural communities struggle with job losses, rising taxes, and shrinking populations.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Following a young woman navigating life after growing up in an orphanage, the film transforms her shrinking apartment into a dreamlike maze of memory and loss, using striking visual metaphors to explore belonging, self-worth, and the fragile hope of starting over.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Moreover, heavy snow will develop over the Sierra Nevada Mountains on Tuesday, tapering off by Wednesday.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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Williams added that the underlying drivers of the silver market show no sign of tapering off, suggesting the bull run on silver could be sustained well into 2026.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Like a snake shedding its skin, The Girlfriend’s expendable outer layers are falling away to reveal a more interesting core.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
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Gallagher had an underwhelming first year with Atletico, which started well before falling away, and now finds himself no longer a first choice for coach Diego Simeone.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Screening is key Across all ages, colorectal cancer cases and related deaths in the US have been declining for decades, Ng said, attributing that success to improvements in treatment and public health efforts to promote screening.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many consumers have started to turn their backs on luxury goods; fed up with a lack of ingenuity, skyrocketing daily expenses, and arguably declining quality, shoppers are thinking twice before splurging on designer items.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The expansion is being fueled by its cloud infrastructure business as demand for AI is showing no signs of letting up.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
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And there are no signs of letting up as a new nine-month term dawns in October with more major cases awaiting.—
Jan Wolfe,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ratcheting (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28down%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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