variants
also racheting (down)
as in decreasing
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 ratcheting (down)
Verb
-
Consumers can also look for savings at home by decreasing energy costs—for instance, by keeping the air conditioner at a higher temperature.—
Austin Carter,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026 -
Rather than decreasing the volume of betting, this restriction weakens legal operators by removing the clearest signals consumers have about which platforms are regulated and safe.—
Cláudia Nunes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Blue Lagoon Cruises said pumpable fuel as well as other oils stored onboard the ship had been removed by Monday, diminishing environmental risks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But the distinctions between these visions of the world are diminishing.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The effects of its costly price war with T-Mobile seem to be ebbing.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
They wed in September 2021, in the ebbing months of the pandemic.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, on a recent trip to Florida, my blowout was undone within an hour of stepping outside, expanding in width and shrinking in length.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
1 Apr. 2026
-
As women’s earning power grows, their tolerance for an unequal domestic arrangement is shrinking.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Storms may organize along frontal boundaries, continuing into the evening before tapering off.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The security line situation could be tapering off.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On Wednesday, Mikel Arteta’s side face Bayer Leverkusen, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga after falling away since their famous unbeaten title-winning season in 2023-24.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
That means some of the oddball stuff that had a moment toward the end of the Peak TV boom is falling away, sadly — no one’s greenlighting something as off kilter as The OA or Servant these days.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
European luxury is entering a high-stakes first-quarter reporting period as sentiment has taken a decisive hit, just as many of the sector's big names were nearing a turning point after years of declining sales.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Royal Navy has shrunk dramatically since the Cold War ended, with combat-ready ships declining from 166 in 1975 to 66 in 2025, following decades of military spending cuts.—
Pan Pylas,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump had promised a quick operation but the war shows no signs of letting up and peace talks show no outward signs of progress.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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After the intermission, the Wolverines showed no signs of letting up.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ratcheting (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28down%29. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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