misery index

noun

: the sum of the rate of unemployment and the rate of inflation used as an economic indicator

Examples of misery index in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Forecast in detail The meteorological misery index is soaring, with both temperatures and humidity reaching close to July maximum levels of discomfort. —

Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 9 July 2024 When the sum of the inflation and unemployment rates – what’s known as the misery index – is high, incumbents lose. —

Oli Turner, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 July 2024 Because the unemployment rate is near its lowest point since the 1960s, the misery index is now fairly low. —

Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024 Okun’s misery index was modified by Harvard professor Robert Barro in 1996, by including the 30-year government bond yield and the difference between the long-term-trend rate of real GDP growth and the actual rate of real GDP growth. —

Steve H. Hanke, National Review, 14 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for misery index

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