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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheting (down)
Verb
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Extortion is also a crime that worries authorities, although cases appear to be decreasing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026 -
But an album rollout is costly and seeing an ever-decreasing return on investment.—
Michaelangelo Matos,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Puerto Rico is missing Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa due to insurance restrictions, considerably diminishing their firepower, but have solid pitching and the advantage of playing at home in their group stage.—
J.J. Bailey,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Palomar’s 48 partner agencies are similarly affected by diminishing VOCA funds.—
Maddy Keyes,
The Frontier,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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They wed in September 2021, in the ebbing months of the pandemic.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The state’s political appetite to keep transitioning away from oil has been clearly ebbing as residents balk at the cost of everything in California, most notably the chronically high cost of gasoline and the periodic spikes during a hiccup in production.—
Tom Philp,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And geography proved important when Leroy and Jarzyna looked for reasons why so many bird species are shrinking ever faster.—
Seth Borenstein,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Currently, some schools have combined grades into a single class to address shrinking student bodies.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The rain will continue most of Tuesday night, tapering off around dawn on Wednesday.—
Terry Eliasen,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Southern California’s mosquito season typically begins in early May, with the insect’s activity tapering off around October.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
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Sunrays strobed down through the water, illuminating layer upon layer of marine life, falling away to the ocean floor some 15 feet below.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Iranian retaliatory attacks appear to be declining — ballistic missile strikes have fallen by 90% and drone attacks by 83%, according to US Central Command — potentially easing pressure on Gulf states that have faced Iranian strikes in recent days.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Instead of coming from declining direct-to-home satellite taxes, the money would come directly from state sales and use taxes.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The forces that have been driving gold's price higher likely aren't letting up anytime soon, either.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
An anti-corruption campaign launched by Chinese leader Xi Jinping shows no sign of letting up after more than a decade.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2026
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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 10 Mar. 2026.
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