deflation

noun

de·​fla·​tion di-ˈflā-shən How to pronounce deflation (audio)
ˌdē-
Synonyms of deflationnext
1
: an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated
2
: a contraction in the volume of available money or credit that results in a general decline in prices
3
: the erosion of soil by the wind
deflationary adjective

Examples of deflation in a Sentence

Economists worry that deflation will bring the country into recession.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Concerns about the real estate sector — which by some estimates amounted to a quarter of the entire economy at one point — are among myriad issues facing China, including fears of chronic deflation, a youth jobs crisis, and opaque levels of local government debt. Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 19 Dec. 2025 Driving with low pressure risks deflation that begins in the center of the tires, wearing them down while also causing the vehicle to waste energy attempting to propel the vehicle forward on lumpy wheels. Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 16 Dec. 2025 Ting Lu, chief China economist at Nomura, cautioned that appreciating renminbi, or yuan, to reduce trade surplus was unlikely to be sustainable without meaningful steps to end deflation in the economy. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025 Adding to the mix of problems, deflation has clouded the economy for much of the year, driven by overcapacity and cutthroat price wars, particularly in sectors such as electric vehicles, e-commerce and construction materials. John Liu, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deflation

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deflation was in 1891

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deflation. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

deflation

noun
de·​fla·​tion di-ˈflā-shən How to pronounce deflation (audio)
ˈdē-
1
: an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated
2
: a reduction in the volume of available money or credit resulting in a decline of the general price level
deflationary adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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