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.
See Examples For:
Later sections where you rely on even cruder tech to spot enemies ratchet up the tension further, at the expense of making the gameplay much slower.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
“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
That logic is a one-way ratchet toward greater A.I. risk.
From Slate ● Sep. 9, 2026
Billions in short-term loans made to affiliates were due to mature by the end of August, which could ratchet a funding squeeze on the Dodgers’ owner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
A venerable tradition, dating back to the ancient Greek orators, teaches that if you don’t know what you’re talking about, just ratchet up the level of difficulty and no one will ever know.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
As tech companies’ appetite for data centers ratchets up demand for fiber-optic cables, drillers, linemen and splicers are pulling in soaring pay nationwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026
This ratchets up complaints about spoilers: Adams had to be driven from the race first.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2025
The IMO’s proposal would require shipowners to use lower-carbon alternatives to conventional shipping fuel or pay a fee that ratchets up over time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025
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
It ratchets up the difficulty level of keeping all these feelings in check.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
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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