variants
also racheted (down)
as in decreased
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 ratcheted (down)
Verb
-
Homicides have decreased by roughly 11% from this time in 2025, which ended with a 60-year low in the number of people killed; the city has also had 148 fewer people shot.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026 -
This isn’t unique to Sacramento, with Smith noting that an American Alliance of Museums survey found that 55% of museums report decreased traffic.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Polis wrote in his veto letter that the bill would have diminished incentives for fire departments to participate in the Colorado Firefighter Trust, which replaced state workers’ compensation for firefighters’ cancer claims.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
-
Phosphorus has diminished some.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Near the end of the show, the stories ebbed in favor of quick punches.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
25 May 2026
-
While interest in stakeholder capitalism ebbed amid an ESG backlash and other issues, moral leadership has become increasingly important in an atmosphere of growing distrust, dishonesty, and divisiveness.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
The declining popularity of Indian equities is reflected in the MSCI index, where the country's weightage has shrunk to around 11% from its peak of nearly 20% in 2024.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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The 2008 Great Recession deterred sponsors, prizes dwindled and flair bartenders quit as competitive in-fighting and harder rules shrank the talent pool.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Piccotto effectively plays the regret of a mother forced to reckon with the loss of a child, the horror of engaging with that child again, while also grappling with her own role as a mother felled by the scourge of addiction.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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In a Western Conference Final where a few other key Colorado Avalanche players are already playing through injuries, the NHL’s leading goal scorer this season was felled trying to prevent someone else from scoring.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Enrollment declined the past two years at DU after years of growth, Rinehart said.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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When asked about her challenging Qualls in a primary, her campaign declined to comment Saturday.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Verb
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As the rain tapered off in the afternoon, the Skippers (20-2) were eager to defend their home turf.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
That growth, though, has now tapered off.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ratcheted (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheted%20%28down%29. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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