as in deceleration
a usually gradual decrease in the pace or level of activity of something
there are promising indications of a turnaround in the prolonged economic downshift
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of downshift
As the 11-year cycle downshifts from solar maximum to solar minimum, the lights will begin to diminish in frequency and intensity.
—
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
In an awards season filled with human suffering, the premise is a refreshing downshift.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
That’s a big downshift from the first four months of the year, when job creation averaged 123,000, not to mention the 168,000 per month in 2024 and 216,000 in 2023.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Speaking of which, Honda also gives you an assist/slipper clutch that ought to help you with your downshifts.
—New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downshift
The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
In an awards season filled with human suffering, the premise is a refreshing downshift.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
That’s a big downshift from the first four months of the year, when job creation averaged 123,000, not to mention the 168,000 per month in 2024 and 216,000 in 2023.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 22 Dec. 2025
Speaking of which, Honda also gives you an assist/slipper clutch that ought to help you with your downshifts.
—New Atlas, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downshift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downshift
Noun
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Zscaler lost two key salespeople, and the deceleration is palpable.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
27 May 2026
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At best, this method could be deployed as part of a hybrid strategy that uses a separate system for deceleration.—
Kai James,
The Conversation,
26 May 2026
Noun
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SoftBank Group dropped over 10% amid a broader decline in Asia tech stocks.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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Consistent short sleep, however, has been linked to measurable declines in cognitive performance and day-to-day functioning, while chronic sleep deprivation is associated with more serious long-term health risks.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Noun
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That 10-goal swing explains most of the standings drop.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
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That excellent start to the season had rapidly become a useful buffer against the drop.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
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At perigee the shuttle would experience pretty serious atmospheric braking, rapidly lose energy, and would definitely not be going back up to its apogee.—
Eric Berger & Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
31 May 2026
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The 2026 model comes loaded with Subaru’s latest EyeSight driver-assist technologies, including automatic emergency steering, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking and a surround-view monitor system.—
Tim Jackson,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Shuffield said the slowdown Miami-Dade’s real estate market has seen over the past few years doesn’t worry him, especially when compared to the crash in 2008, when the median home price in the county fell from $380,000 to $150,000.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
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But higher oil prices — particularly if the conflict in the Middle East escalates — or a deteriorating labor market could make the consumer slowdown sharper than currently anticipated.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
Noun
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The Everrati's left pedal operates pads on discs in the normal fashion, but the motors also give powerful regenerative retardation when the accelerator is lifted.—
Mike Duff,
Car and Driver,
18 June 2021
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The policy of retardation of submarine technology ended right after the beginning of the Anglo-German naval race (marked by the German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900).—
chicagotribune.com,
chicagotribune.com,
28 July 2017
Noun
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The stretch isn’t concerning to Murton, who noted Aidan Miller’s early slump last year that preceded an excellent season.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
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Precious metal timepieces saw the biggest slump, contracting by around a quarter in both metrics.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downshift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downshift. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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