ratchet (down)

verb

variants also rachet (down)
Definition of ratchet (down)next
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)
  1. decrease
  2. diminish
  3. shrink
  4. ebb
  5. decline
  6. taper off
Verb
  • And the number of young people who stayed on medication for six months — already quite low — may have actually decreased.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For the full 2027 fiscal year, Nike said to expect revenue to decrease by a high-single-digit percentage.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • When every decision requires multiple levels of authorization, ownership naturally diminishes.
    — Guy Yehiav, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And where does the water come from for these 10 new cities as the West scrambles for what’s left of diminishing supplies?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • The high price of beef in North Carolina is part of a larger national problem that begins with the shrinking supply of cattle, but that’s not the only factor driving prices.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The feedback didn’t shrink that gap any more than the sleep-hygiene sessions did.
    — J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of shrink
Verb
  • The golden era of sports print journalism ebbed and began to die.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The new era of worker power that labor advocates proclaimed as the pandemic ebbed was something of a chimera.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of ebb
Verb
  • When Albin returned to the question of which country posed the greater threat to American interests, el Sayed again declined to choose between them, arguing that both had demonstrated the capacity to cause harm.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Courtesy of Heineken, 2026 Caton declined to say how many European jobs will go, citing ongoing consultation with staff and the European Works Council.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • What happens if the supply gap is still there when releases taper off?
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But the rain will gradually taper off, and the winds are much lighter than on Sunday.
    — Kate Bilo, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of taper off
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.

Browse Nearby Words

ratbags
ratchet (down)
ratcheted (down)
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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 9 Oct. 2026.

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