headline inflation

noun

economics

: a measure of inflation that is based on an unadjusted price index

… but core inflation has indeed been a much more reliable guide than headline inflation, which fluctuates wildly.

—Paul Krugman

compare core inflation

Examples of headline inflation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tariffs are beginning to show up in consumer prices, even if the overall headline inflation numbers haven't deterred Wall Street from betting on a Federal Reserve rate cut next month. —Paulina Likos, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2025

Flat headline inflation and declining energy prices fueled expectations for a potential rate cut in September. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2025

While slower hiring and cooling headline inflation could argue for an interest rate cut in September, rising core prices suggest inflationary pressures remain stubborn. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025

And because shelter inflation changes glacially, a downshift now sets the stage for several months of lower headline inflation. —Joel Shulman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headline inflation

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization