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ratcheted (down)

verb

variants also racheted (down)
past tense of ratchet (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)
  1. decreased
  2. diminished
  3. ebbed
  4. shrank
  5. fell
  6. declined
  7. tapered off
Verb
  • Adult admission decreased by a few dollars, and children’s tickets are now $10 every day, all day.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The likelihood that a domestic violence suspect will face prosecution has decreased in the past several years.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • Cable’s not going away, broadcast isn’t going away; they’re just diminished.
    — Lane Brown, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • But fans were alarmed by Love’s gaunt appearance and diminished singing voice.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • The new era of worker power that labor advocates proclaimed as the pandemic ebbed was something of a chimera.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • As farming ebbed, the water stored in those reservoirs helped the area's cities and suburbs become one of the nation's fastest growing urban areas.
    — Alex Hager, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ebbed
Verb
  • The team shrunk mentally as the second half went on, a common theme for this club in 2026.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Giant-planet rings are already known to shift over months and years; Saturn’s D ring has measurably shrunk, and Neptune’s Adams arcs rearrange themselves.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of shrank
Verb
  • Yet trees that took a millennium to grow can be felled in under an hour.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Vines are pulled away from fences, and sometimes trees are even felled.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of fell
Verb
  • The Pentagon declined to address questions about the accounting discrepancy.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Thrive Eternal, the sports properties company run by incoming Lakers owner Joshua Kushner, declined to comment because the NBA has not yet approved the sale.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • As the rains tapered off and the skies cleared, Paterson's annual Dominican parade stepped off Sunday afternoon, though with a slight delay.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026
  • However, Brissett's play tapered off after he was hobbled by a knee injury.
    — James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tapered off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

ratchet (down)
ratcheted (down)
ratcheted (up)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ratcheted (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheted%20%28down%29. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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