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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratchet (down)
Verb
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This is a mistake that will substantially decrease America’s hard and soft power.—
Adrian Elimian,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026 -
Nearly a week into the latest Middle East conflict, Iran’s strikes in the region have decreased significantly – while US attacks on Iran continue ramping up and Israeli strikes prompt panic in southern Beirut.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Extensive research shows that insufficient sleep is associated with impaired cognitive function, chronic health problems, diminished productivity and an increase in traffic accidents, just to name a few.—
Stephen Neely,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
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One concern is cognitive offloading, in which decision-makers defer too readily to algorithmic recommendations, effectively diminishing human accountability for strategic choices.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over the decades, the facility drastically shrank, reflecting a larger deinstitutionalization sweeping the state and country amid concerns over abuse at state psychiatric hospitals.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Yet traditional metal alloys become difficult to manufacture and handle when their diameters shrink.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Where this all goes, whether ESAs will continue to shake up the education landscape in Iowa, or the tremors will ebb, only the coming years will tell.—
Mike Trautmann,
Des Moines Register,
5 Mar. 2026
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But the tide began to ebb in recent days, and the Pima County 911 supervisor told CNN the number of credible tips had begun to slow.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
25 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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Bonta’s office declined to comment.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s missile-and-drone volleys are tapering off somewhat as launchers are destroyed and inventories expended, but Shaheds are so simple that Iran will likely be able to keep manufacturing and firing them in small numbers nearly indefinitely.—
Brynn Tannehill,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
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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
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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 9 Mar. 2026.
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