variants
also racheting (down)
as in decreasing
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 ratcheting (down)
Verb
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Most of these early mandate states were centered around the Northeast, where viral spread started decreasing as a result of normal season patterns.
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Across the United States, cities are decreasing the number of available psychiatric beds just as demand is surging.
Verb
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Others expressed concerns about diminishing Black voting power.
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Movies Are Good, Actually By Michael O’Donnell A film critic’s new book attacks the medium for diminishing culture.
Verb
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The autocracies are surging, and democracies ebbing.
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That number has fluctuated from a high of 115,000 in May to a low of about 16,000 on the day before this column was published, ebbing and flowing as tickets were purchased, new batches were released and FIFA (maybe) pulled back others.
Verb
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Block cut more than 4,000 jobs in February, shrinking its workforce from over 10,000 to just under 6,000.
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Part of Exemplar’s plan to focus more on luxury involves shrinking its footprint, going from around 170 stores last year to just 49 now.
Verb
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The first-round showers and storms will move eastward through the rest of Saturday morning with the activity tapering off in the early afternoon.
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For most movies, the opening weekend is the most lucrative, with ticket sales tapering off from there.
Verb
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But the memorandum drafted between Kyiv and Washington on an early-stage drone deal appears to suggest those obstacles may be falling away.
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On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.
Verb
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After years of declining sales, American Girl dolls are seeing a resurgence.
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The state also has goals, including some that have been in place since 2012, that set declining limits on smog-causing pollutants and required automakers to sell increasing percentages of electric and hybrid vehicles through 2025.
Verb
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Arizona’s Pocket Fire, burning north of Sedona for more than a week, shows no sign of letting up.
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There was to be no letting up at Gillette Stadium.
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Cite this Entry
“Ratcheting (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28down%29. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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