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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheting (down)
Verb
-
Lower premiums were made possible by decreasing repair costs and fewer collisions in 2025, the company said.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026 -
In 2025, Ehardt co-sponsored a bill that would have removed ratios altogether — in a bid to increase the number of in-home day cares available by decreasing their regulation.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Finally, unnecessary technology usage in elementary grades is diminishing focus and harming academic performance.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The first is diminishing retail trader enthusiasm.—
Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
They wed in September 2021, in the ebbing months of the pandemic.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The state’s political appetite to keep transitioning away from oil has been clearly ebbing as residents balk at the cost of everything in California, most notably the chronically high cost of gasoline and the periodic spikes during a hiccup in production.—
Tom Philp,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Reservation incumbents, delivery app newcomers and premium credit card partnerships are all ramping up the fight for a shrinking pool of diners.—
Amelia Lucas,Ryan Baker,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2026
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To justify the sky-high fees, schools are increasingly looking to upgrade facilities and services to attract a shrinking pool of students.—
Bloomberg Wire,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As hundreds of students filed out of the auditorium and back to class, their chatter filled the room before gradually tapering off.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The Blizzard of ’26 was tapering off Monday afternoon after reaching bomb cyclone status overnight Sunday and dumping up to 2 feet of snow onto much of the tristate area.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Sunrays strobed down through the water, illuminating layer upon layer of marine life, falling away to the ocean floor some 15 feet below.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
During his speech on Tuesday, the President suggested that those prices were declining.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Chelsea have carried significant operating losses in recent years, topping £200m in each of the three seasons before last, as declining revenues combined with significant cost increases.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The old money aesthetic is taking the design and fashion worlds by storm, with no sign of letting up anytime soon.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Feb. 2026
-
For now, Democrats are showing no signs of letting up.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
19 Feb. 2026
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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 3 Mar. 2026.
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