variants
also racheting (up)
as in bumping (up)
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratcheting (up)
Verb
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Germany has committed 100 billion euros to modernize its military, and Poland is building up its armed forces with a goal of amassing 300,000 troops.—
Alan Cullison,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026 -
For over 20 years, the South African artist has been one of the genre’s true workhorses, building up an intimidating discography under names like Echologist and Beat Pharmacy and applying the style’s pearlescent, pulsating aesthetic to a range of frameworks.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Each one of the over 300 locations had to be 300 times less likely to fail than if there had been only one, pumping up the design, manufacturing and testing requirements – and inflating the cost.—
Martin Elvis,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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True, pumping up the dosage can give women an almost euphoric high, Christmas says.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
25 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ratcheting (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratcheting%20%28up%29. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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