ratchet
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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“If the Fed raises rates, I would expect some of the high, top-tier rates will ratchet up,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
I’m starting to forget where I left the house key, my iPhone or the ⅜-inch Craftsman ratchet wrench—unless I stick to my rule of fastidiously putting everything in its place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
General contractor Enrique Valdez of Azteca 111 Builder Inc. was tasked with cutting the ratchet straps securing Pinky, seemingly putting an end to the bird’s reign.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
There is also the issue of what's known as the "golden ratchet" in royal finances, which in effect means that the Sovereign Grant can go up, but not go down.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
He also didn’t argue or wheedle or cajole or ratchet the charm way up.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
The uncertainty ratchets up after Max heads to Malta, the small archipelago nation in the Mediterranean, to translate the work of an up-and-coming poet, and Leonie discovers that she’s pregnant.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
That is until Thatcher ratchets up the eerie tension tenfold while Refn builds his gorgeous fantasy around her.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
For Braun, it ratchets up longer-running challenges of keeping Coke’s brands relevant with a new generation as fewer Americans drink soda and as they tighten their purse strings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
Woman Is A Tree opens with discordant harmonies, inspired by cult horror show Yellowjackets; while broiling anti-war anthem Rifles ratchets its tempo ever-upwards.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2025
I love how the sky stays light right into evening, how Lake Michigan gets busy with sailboats and the heat ratchets up to the point that it’s almost impossible to recall the struggles of winter.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Vocabulary lists containing ratchet
The Road
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Can the Paris Climate Change Agreement Save Our Planet?
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The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
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