variants
also rachets (down)
as in decreases
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 ratchets (down)
Verb
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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026 -
This slightly decreases the total mass of objects in interplanetary space — the material and space between planets — while slightly increasing the masses of the planets themselves.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
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Ned Bair, a research associate at the Earth Research Institute at UC Santa Barbara, said that while the total number of avalanches may decrease over time as the overall snowpack diminishes, the ones that do occur could become more intense due to climate change.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Typically, that ebbs over the course of the season, as players play together more often.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The number of truckers on the road grows when demand is hot and shrinks as the economy cools.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Steady decline of sea ice Each year Arctic sea ice grows over the cold winter and shrinks in the heat of the summer.—
Seth Borenstein,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Acuna’s show business resume tapers off in the mid-2010’s, according to IMDB.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
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After the strongest storms move out, colder air will settle in with the possibility of a few wet snowflakes before the precipitation tapers off.—
Gregory Padgett,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jeannot is not wired to jump anybody who declines an invitation.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Six out of the 10 top richest people in the world have experienced wealth declines between $30 and $60 billion this calendar year, totalling over $255 billion.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ratchets (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchets%20%28down%29. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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