variants
also rachets (down)
as in decreases
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 ratchets (down)
Verb
-
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
9 June 2026 -
This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Their sense of contribution diminishes.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Tick levels remain highest through July, then ebbs in August and plummets in September, according to the state department of health.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
Student housing provides an obvious entry point, but occupancy ebbs and flows based on the academic calendar.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
As measurement gets stricter and the watchers get better at catching what slips, the pool of gas that can clear the bar shrinks — and intensity figures shaped by satellite data help decide who is in the pool and who is left holding cargoes nobody in Brussels will touch.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Once a swarm launches and organizes, effective mission time shrinks even further.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Acuna’s show business resume tapers off in the mid-2010’s, according to IMDB.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
-
After the strongest storms move out, colder air will settle in with the possibility of a few wet snowflakes before the precipitation tapers off.—
Gregory Padgett,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That’s down to the 3D model producing a little less warming for a brighter Sun, the expectation that CO2 declines more slowly over time, and a slight expansion of the CO2 range believed to be survivable by plants.—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
-
Scientists found that a protein called NOX4 naturally declines with age and inactivity.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Ratchets (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchets%20%28down%29. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
