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
  • China is building up its military and AI capabilities despite limited access to advanced computer chips.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Boone said the final few steps for Judge’s return include building up his workload because he has been sidelined for over three months with a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of building up
Verb
  • When showing a complex picture with many different hues next to each other, though, pumping up the output of individual LED colors can cause the edges of those hues to tint and warp.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Several stock indexes, including the NASDAQ 100, also relaxed rules for how soon new issues could be included, further pumping up demand.
    — John Ruwitch, NPR, 4 Aug. 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 6 Oct. 2026.

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