RACHET (DOWN) Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

ratchet (down)

verb

variants also rachet (down)

Definition of ratchet (down)

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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratchet (down)

Verb

Plus, new windows are more energy efficient than old ones, meaning a summer installation can decrease your energy bill now and when temperatures drop in the fall and winter.

— Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Doubles players fear for their tennis future after being told by the ATP Tour that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026

Definition of decrease

Verb

Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
The union said that unresolved complaints made against Hawk and existing climate issues have significantly diminished confidence among many educators.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026

Definition of diminish

Verb

Saving journalism — not newspapers The challenge only grew during his years leading The Charlotte Observer, where Thames helped steer the newsroom through an era of shrinking staffs, a changing business model and rapidly changing reader habits.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026
Nevertheless, the claustrophobic framing shrinks an epic voyage into small-screen content made solely for a bored child to hold right up to their nose.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of shrink

Verb

The autocracies are surging, and democracies ebbing.

— Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
The district’s cash on hand naturally ebbs and flows depending on when revenue arrives, but repeated Cook County property tax delays last year have deepened the problem.

— Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026

Definition of ebb

Verb

Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Even as remote work has declined from its pandemic highs, the data shows nearly 22% of workers still worked at least partly from home in 2025, only 1 percentage point less than the number who partly worked from home during the year prior.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Definition of decline

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Browse Nearby Words

ratbags

ratchet (down)

ratcheted (down)

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“Ratchet (down).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratchet%20%28down%29. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ratchet (down)

verb

Example Sentences

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