ratcheting (up)

verb

variants also racheting (up)
present participle of ratchet (up)
as in bumping (up)

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheting (up)
  1. building up
  2. pumping up
Verb
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies start right after birth with three to five minutes at a time, building up to more than an hour a day.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • And because some of these inflation drivers affect multiple sectors, costs are building up throughout the supply chain.
    — Elizabeth Canales, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
Definition of building up
Verb
  • In other words, pumping up the stock market was seen as a way to drive consumer spending.
    — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Many of my fellow viewers enthusiastically embraced the role of wrestling fans and behaved as if at a WWE match, audibly pumping up the hero and booing her opponents.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Definition of pumping up
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

ratcheting (down)
ratcheting (up)
ratchets (down)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ratcheting (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28up%29. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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