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Some industries are correcting after the hiring boom of the pandemic, but this comes as AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and rising costs drive belt-tightening and hiring freezes.—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025 Water department employees initially asked for increases of 6% for water and 4% for sewer in 2026 and again in 2027, but the council pushed for belt-tightening and postponed a decision after complaints from residents at the Oct. 1 meeting.—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025 Chatter in the market revolved around the reasons for the downturn – rising competition from streaming platforms, consumer belt-tightening and hesitance on the part of investors and studios – as well as possible solutions.—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025 Newly single Lionsgate has cut around 50 jobs company-wide, or approximately 5 percent of its workforce, in its latest belt-tightening effort, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for belt-tightening