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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheted (down)
Verb
-
The number of Democratic-majority Congressional Districts in North Texas decreased from three to two.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026 -
Over all grade levels, enrollment has decreased by about 875 students in the last 12 years while staff levels rose by 185 members.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When recovery becomes doubtful or diminished, incentives weaken.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The 5-foot-10 Murray was once one of the league's best running QBs, but age and injury have diminished, though not entirely destroyed, his rushing ability.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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West Ham’s defending once caused consternation among the fanbase, but those concerns have slowly ebbed away.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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Those disorders continue to overwhelm providers years after other pandemic-era mental health crises have ebbed.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And that majority shrank further after Greene retired in January, leaving her seat vacant for several months as Congress is at a standstill amid a partial government shutdown.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
11 Mar. 2026
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Its headquarters campus shifted toward research and development, and employment there shrank even as the company’s global workforce increased.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In Greek tragedies, the hero is felled by a fatal flaw.—
Maer Roshan,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Apartment buildings were felled by air strikes, and smoke billowed from the blasts; the buzz of Israeli drones filled the air.—
Rania Abouzeid,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Washington declined to intervene as the regime violently suppressed them.—
Younes Mohammad,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
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San Diego County has a lengthy history of jail deaths, although the rate has declined in recent years under Sheriff Kelly Martinez.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The analysis showed bacterial diversity recovered the fastest in the first two years after people took antibiotics; the rate of recovery tapered off after that point.—
Lori Youmshajekian,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
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After the initial surge following the Tuesday Instagram post upping the reward, the number of calls to the sheriff's department has tapered off, sources said.—
Aaron Katersky,
ABC News,
26 Feb. 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 16 Mar. 2026.
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