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.
“To ratchet up the pressure,” his lawsuit says, the firm “froze his tokens,” meaning they could not be transferred to anyone.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
The brief “Target Practice” opens the LP with a jaunty acoustic guitar figure and Mr. Picton’s somewhat reedy voice, and then adds a string section and massed voices that ratchet up the density and volume.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
He could continue to ratchet up the US attacks on Iran, possibly doing long-term damage to the nation's civilian infrastructure, adding to a humanitarian crisis and further destablising the global economy.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
But a third factor is entangled in this equation: access to food and water, both of which become more difficult to acquire as wars spread and global temperatures ratchet upward.
From Salon • Mar. 17, 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
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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