ratchet

1 of 2

noun

ratch·​et ˈra-chət 

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

ratchet

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly rachet

ratcheted also racheted; ratcheting also racheting; ratchets also rachets

transitive verb

: to cause to move by steps or degrees

—usually used with up or down

tried to ratchet down the debt

intransitive verb

: to proceed by steps or degrees

Synonyms

Verb

• abate
• de-escalate
• decline
• decrease
• die (away or down or out)
• diminish
• drain (away)
• drop (off)
• dwindle
• ease
• ebb
• fall
• fall away
• lessen
• let up
• lower
• moderate
• pall
• phase down
• recede
• relent
• remit
• shrink
• subside
• taper
• taper off
• wane

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

Noun

This ratchet screwdriver multitool is TrekGear's third Kickstarter – following success with a safety razor and a utility knife – and is reported to have been 12 months in development. —Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 24 Dec. 2024

What to watch: How many other compounding ratchet time bombs are out there in unicorn-land, and if that is what finally unclogs the IPO pipeline. —Dan Primack, Axios, 2 Dec. 2024

Verb

One thing that seemed clear in the footage with John Harbaugh and the snippets of team meetings was how the sense of urgency in the Ravens’ building has ratcheted up. —The Athletic Nfl Staff, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024

Fed monetary policymakers ratcheted up their benchmark interest rate 11 times between 2022 and 2023 as a lever to tame rising consumer prices. —Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of earlier rochet, from French, alteration of Middle French rocquet ratchet, bobbin, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rocko distaff — more at rock

First Known Use

Noun

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1972, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

ratchet

noun

ratch·​et

ˈrach-ət

1

: a mechanical device that consists of a bar or wheel having slanted teeth into which a pawl drops so as to allow motion in one direction only

2

: pawl