variants
also rachet (down)
as in to decrease
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 ratchet (down)
Verb
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Following Monday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 220 shares of GS, decreasing its weighting to about 4.35% from about 4.75%.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
7 July 2025 -
Revenue has remained relatively stagnant, decreasing slightly from $153 million to $152 million over the past year.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The best wrinkle creams on Amazon prove that drugstore prices don't diminish efficacy.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
8 July 2025
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Eggs may not be quite so extreme, since the bird flu problem is expected to diminish.—
Jan Ellen Spiegel,
Hartford Courant,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The good news is that the potential to compound one’s wealth grows by the day as the world shrinks by the day through commercial advances that reach greater and greater numbers of people.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
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Since Captain Cook had first arrived on the island, in 1769, measles, pneumonia, influenza, and syphilis had shrunk the population from around two hundred thousand to eight thousand.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Following a parade of corruption scandals, pervasive electoral fraud and voter suppression, violence, and economic crises, however, PRI’s stranglehold over Mexican governance had ebbed, and a pro-democracy political faction, led by the National Action Party (PAN), gained strength.—
Rebecca Grant
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
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The conflict, which began with an Israeli attack against Iran on June 13, has sent oil prices yo-yo-ing, which has in turn caused seesaw moves for the U.S. stock market because of rising and ebbing fears that the war could disrupt the global flow of crude.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Disney officials declined to comment on individual plans out of respect for all guests.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
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Cal Fire officials declined to comment on whether either of the companies has had prior violations or enforcement actions, citing the active investigation.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Snow will finally begin to taper off by sunset Monday.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
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What’s more, even if it’s approved and eventually offered, the number of buyers is likely to be a fraction of what the White House has suggested and could taper off after an initial burst of buyers.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ratchet (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchet%20%28down%29. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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