downtick

noun

down·​tick ˈdau̇n-ˌtik How to pronounce downtick (audio)
plural downticks
1
: a small decrease, decline, or downward trend
Pennsylvania saw a slight increase in traffic-related fatalities last year despite a national downtick, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.Megan Tomasic
Any downtick in the ever-expanding economy is likely to make commercial real estate lenders nervous about financing new projects …Dane Huffman
2
finance : a stock market transaction at a price below the last previous transaction in the same security
… the New York Stock Exchange forbids short sales on stocks whose last trade was lower than the previous trade. However, that rule, widely cited by journalists as an absolute proscription on shorting on a downtick, only applies to NYSE stocks.Thomas Lepri
compare uptick sense 2

Examples of downtick in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The figure also reflects a downtick in the overall U.S. unemployment rate, which fell to 3.5% during the same period, Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 17 May 2023 Boston health officials, who urged people to keep taking precautions despite the city’s downtick in COVID-19 numbers, have recommended that people wear masks indoors, including on public transportation, even though the city is only at a medium level on the CDC map. Ryan Huddle, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2022 An additional 136,525 coronavirus vaccinations were administered in Illinois on Thursday as the state reported another slight downtick in the seven-day coronavirus positivity rate. Dan Petrella, chicagotribune.com, 23 Apr. 2021 But the 57% who supported stricter gun laws in the latest poll marks a downtick from the 66% who supported stricter gun laws following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas late last May. Dakin Andone, CNN, 29 Mar. 2023 The downtick in fear reflects indecision. Jon Markman, Forbes, 7 June 2022 This also prompted investors to buy equities at every downtick. Mimansa Verma, Quartz, 7 Feb. 2022 As for The Woodlands, this 2023 ranking is a fine showing but a slight downtick from last year, when the city won No. 1 overall honors for its pristine livability. Dan Carson, Chron, 22 Mar. 2023 The number of total annual homicides in Indianapolis has grown steadily since at least 2012, according to an IndyStar analysis of homicide data, save for a slight downtick in 2019. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Nov. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downtick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downtick was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near downtick

Cite this Entry

“Downtick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downtick. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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