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
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Adding in exercise was linked with a 46% decreased risk of death from any cause, according to the study.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026 -
The less experienced Tyler Kolek’s playing time decreased as well as the squad returned to full health.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Atkins also was diminished during the latter part of the season by a calf strain, which sidelined her for several weeks.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
None of this has diminished the ambition of the budget’s spending side.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Immigration — long a pipeline for population growth — has ebbed significantly under a federal crackdown.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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But eventually, the anger ebbed; replaced by an all-too-familiar ache of grief laced with longing.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The retail landscape shrunk, and the remaining stores mostly bought from the same 12 brands.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The tax grew and hospitals’ share of federal funds shrank.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jeff Shell, now felled from his presidency of Paramount, is living proof.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Floorboards were milled from walnut trees felled at a construction site in North Carolina.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In an email, Gardner declined to comment on the specifics of the situation.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The prosecutor declined to comment further to AP pending further investigation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Light-bloom torture-test shots of colorful objects against completely black backgrounds also produced significant haze that tapered off gradually across the screen.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
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While the series’ linear ratings have tapered off, something pretty common for serialized broadcast dramas, Memory of a Killer has become a staple on Hulu, which releases new episodes next day, regularly raking in the streamer’s Daily Top 10.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 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 15 Apr. 2026.
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