ratcheting (up)

variants also racheting (up)
Definition of ratcheting (up)next
present participle of ratchet (up)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheting (up)
Verb
  • Sramek has claimed that building up the infrastructure of the city will provide thousands of construction jobs for the next 40 years.
    Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Sweeping daily—especially in the kitchen—prevents dust, crumbs, and dirt from building up and keeps floors consistently fresh.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Each one of the over 300 locations had to be 300 times less likely to fail than if there had been only one, pumping up the design, manufacturing and testing requirements – and inflating the cost.
    Martin Elvis, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2026
  • True, pumping up the dosage can give women an almost euphoric high, Christmas says.
    Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025
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

Cite this Entry

“Ratcheting (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28up%29. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!