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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As chairman, Cassidy has had several clashes with the White House over confirmations, including for Kennedy due to his support for decreasing the number of vaccines children receive.—
Gabrielle M. Etzel,
The Washington Examiner,
13 May 2026 -
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced an overall 4% decrease, and unsheltered homelessness decreasing by 22% since the 2024 count.—
Robin Epley,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The Wolves have not solved Wembanyama, who is significantly diminishing their inside presence.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
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Some are seeking better time slots paired with digital extensions that can net them bigger contracts from TV networks desperate to break free from diminishing pay TV revenue.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Verb
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An outbreak forced farmers and commercial producers to slaughter entire broods of egg-laying hens, but ebbing cases in the second half of last year helped restore egg supplies, said Mark Jordan, the executive director of agricultural research firm LEAP Market Analytics.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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The effects of its costly price war with T-Mobile seem to be ebbing.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The newest data fits a trend, alongside news that Chicago once again has the country’s busiest airfield and is a top tourist destination, disproving the narrative that the city is shrinking, said Erin Connelly, communication director for Mayor Brandon Johnson.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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For years, Warsh has stated repeatedly that the Fed must reduce its footprint in financial markets by shrinking the balance sheet to allow central bankers to primarily rely on their traditional tool — their key interest rate — to fight high inflation and high unemployment.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Showers could linger into Wednesday night before gradually tapering off, with cooler air settling in and lows dropping into the 50s.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
4 May 2026
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There may be some consolation in the fact that some housing experts, like Cotality's chief economist, Selma Hepp, think that the recent period of skyrocketing housing costs may be tapering off.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But the memorandum drafted between Kyiv and Washington on an early-stage drone deal appears to suggest those obstacles may be falling away.—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Black Bear officials cited the program's declining participation rates and finances as the reason.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Sadly, bat populations are declining rapidly in North America.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The fervor around the series has taken hold of the book world and doesn’t seem to be letting up any time soon.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
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Running a tight 95 minutes, and never letting up for one of them, Apex is yet another perfect showcase for Theron’s exceptional physical talents as the premier female action star working in movies.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
23 Apr. 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 15 May. 2026.
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