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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratchets (down)
Verb
-
Conductance decreases exponentially as the molecule gets longer, meaning longer molecules carry less current.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026 -
These include older adults (partly because the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D decreases with age) and people with certain medical conditions such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other disorders that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb dietary fat.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Perception of risks diminishes, perhaps not entirely, but enough to misperceive the balance of challenge versus ability.—
Christopher Ferguson,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Typically, that ebbs over the course of the season, as players play together more often.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Each failure reinforces migration, which in turn shrinks the tax base, accelerating decline.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
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Due to rosters being stacked with elite talent, the margin for error shrinks instantly.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Even after the snow tapers off, the weekend will remian breezy and cold across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with wind gusts of 30 to over 60 mph possible.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
31 Jan. 2026
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Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly once snow begins, and hazardous conditions could persist into Sunday morning before snow tapers off.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Using rolling peaks, which measure declines from the most recent market high rather than calendar periods, the S & P 500 has gone 185 days without a 10% drawdown, a stretch that, by itself, does not signal an imminent correction.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
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Calls for repeal come with leaders of Balboa Park museums and other organizations saying that declines in park visits have ranged from 20% to more than 50% and that overall annual revenue could drop by $20 million to $30 million.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ratchets (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchets%20%28down%29. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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