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
-
As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026 -
Lowering the sales tax 1% decreases the cost of all taxable purchases for all Texans.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This, in my opinion, diminishes that.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Maybe, too, Giannis gets hurt again in March and his trade value diminishes a bit more.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Typically, that ebbs over the course of the season, as players play together more often.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
As the pool of qualified commercial drivers shrinks, the cost of transporting goods across the state will inevitably rise.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Afterward, Boone said that all of his players are free to challenge for now, but don’t be surprised if that list shrinks once spring training games end.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Their research and resulting report, for instance, found that over the past five recessions, the total GDP declines from dips in tourism averaged a 10% dip.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
When the estrogen hormone declines during perimenopause, the body’s insulin sensitivity decreases, too, which affects overall metabolism.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 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 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
