stagflation
noun
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Stagflation is a portmanteau, that is, a word that blends two others (in this case, "stagnation" and "inflation"). The first documented use of the word appeared in 1965 in the writing of British politician Iain Macleod, who wrote, "We now have the worst of both worlds - not just inflation on the one side or stagnation on the other, but both of them together. We have a sort of 'stagflation' situation." Macleod is often credited with coining the term, and his linguistic invention was quickly embraced by economists in the United States, who used it to refer to the period of economic sluggishness and high inflation that affected the country in the 1970s.
Examples of stagflation in a Sentence
Jim Deloach, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
The Fed held rates steady at its May 7 meeting, while noting rising uncertainty and a higher risk of stagflation.
—Alex Harring,sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 28 May 2025
Watergate, Vietnam, and stagflation disillusioned voters then; today, political polarization, misinformation, racial tensions and a chaotic pandemic response have shattered confidence.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
Pakistan’s prime minister vows ‘decisive action’ after India strikes kill 31
• Federal Reserve keeps interest rates steady and warns of stagflation risks
$4.1 trillion
💰 That was California’s gross domestic product in 2024.
—Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagflation
Cite this Entry
“Stagflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagflation. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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