variants
or less commonly rachet
1
: a mechanism that consists of a bar or wheel having inclined teeth into which a pawl drops so that motion can be imparted to the wheel or bar, governed, or prevented and that is used in a hand tool (such as a wrench or screwdriver) to allow effective motion in one direction only
2
: a pawl or detent for holding or propelling a toothed wheel
variants
or less commonly rachet
ratcheted also racheted; ratcheting also racheting; ratchets also rachets
: to cause to move by steps or degrees
—usually used with up or down
tried to ratchet down the debt
: to proceed by steps or degrees
Synonyms
Examples of ratchet in a Sentence
Verb
news stories about the kidnapping will ratchet down as the weeks go by
Recent Examples on the Web
Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
After emerging from underwater, Boog’s raspy flow paints a picture of his ratchet pool party filled with booze, women and money raining from the sky.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2024
Elias Leight, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
Israel then ratcheted up the pressure on Hezbollah by launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.
—Jon Gambrell, Adam Schreck, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ratchet 
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Noun
Some offer ratchet action to cut large stems in incremental bites.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
After emerging from underwater, Boog’s raspy flow paints a picture of his ratchet pool party filled with booze, women and money raining from the sky.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2024
Verb
Jones gradually ratchets up power, adding jolting brass and a string section that zigs and zags dramatically.
—Elias Leight, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2024
Israel then ratcheted up the pressure on Hezbollah by launching a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.
—Jon Gambrell, Adam Schreck, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ratchet
Dictionary Entries Near ratchet
Cite this Entry
“Ratchet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratchet. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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