variants
also rachet (down)
as in to decrease
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 ratchet (down)
Verb
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Newsom claims homelessness decline Newsom during his final State of the State address Thursday claimed the state’s homeless population decreased last year.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
10 Jan. 2026 -
Meanwhile, the number of job openings have decreased nearly 10% on the year to 729,000 in the September to November period from a year ago, the ONS found.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still seething after a sloppy 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, Johnson wasn’t hiding his dissatisfaction with a defeat that seemed to diminish his team’s momentum.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Kaufman moved there 30 years ago, and since that time the island’s community has diminished by degrees, its youth lured away by better employment prospects in Provo and overseas.—
Henry Wismayer,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Headcount shrank for an 11th straight month, albeit at a slower pace, amid modest production growth.—
Reade Pickert Bloomberg,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
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The number of Republicans running for governor in Colorado has shrunk by two.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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China’s 10-year government bond yields edged up, as demand for safety assets ebbed following the positive results of trade talks.—
Bloomberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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But positivity since then has ebbed, due to Nuno’s fixation on experimenting with his starting XI.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When asked about its plans, McDonald's declined to comment to Fox News Digital.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Forecasters say snow showers and strong winds will continue across the Great Lakes region into early next week before gradually tapering off late Monday.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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Lastly, Vanderbilt transfer JaQualon Roberts has an opportunity to make an immediate impact after his play-time with the Commodores tapered off in his sophomore season.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ratchet (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchet%20%28down%29. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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