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
Tony Zhang, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026
Given today’s labor market and inflation rate, the stagflation comparison makes perfect sense.
—Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
European officials at Semafor World Economy this week have warned that the EU faces stagflation — a combination of sluggish growth and high inflation — as a result of the closure of the strait, which normally carries about 20% of the world’s oil.
—Chris Wellisz, semafor.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Oil prices are once again surging in the wake of war in the Middle East, driving up the cost of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel and threatening a return to stagflation — the toxic mix of higher prices and slower growth that made economic life so miserable a half-century ago.
—Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagflation
Cite this Entry
“Stagflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagflation. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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