the ratings
plural noun
: numbers that show how many people watch or listen to a particular television or radio program
a show that's down in the ratings.
Examples of the ratings in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thus, the new way of counting the house won’t necessarily remedy many of the ratings declines that have been plaguing live sports in recent months.
—
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 24 Jan. 2025
As evidenced by the ratings, attendance and merchandise boom this past summer, the WNBA announced a new media rights agreement in 2026 that will pay an average of $200 million over the next 11 years.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
The channel saw its ratings decline after Trump won the 2024 election (though executives there are quick to note that the ratings appear to have begun to rebound over the last couple weeks or so).
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
By that point, the ratings had drifted down to more modest levels, having lost more than a third of the audience that watched the premiere.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the ratings 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 24 Jan. 2025
As evidenced by the ratings, attendance and merchandise boom this past summer, the WNBA announced a new media rights agreement in 2026 that will pay an average of $200 million over the next 11 years.
—Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
The channel saw its ratings decline after Trump won the 2024 election (though executives there are quick to note that the ratings appear to have begun to rebound over the last couple weeks or so).
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
By that point, the ratings had drifted down to more modest levels, having lost more than a third of the audience that watched the premiere.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for the ratings
Dictionary Entries Near the ratings
Cite this Entry
“The ratings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20ratings. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share