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downturn

noun

Definition of downturnnext
as in slump
a situation in which something (such as business or economic activity) decreases or becomes worse
—usually singular an economic downturn There's been a downturn in the housing market.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of downturn Hoopes said the local wine industry changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a downturn in visitors and a growth in options. — Melissa May, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 Legislative leaders backed the proposal as a hedge against a severe downturn in the economy that leaves the state unable to cover critical needs without raising taxes or fees. — Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026 Historically, these institutions have better withstood economic downturns, helping ensure a steady influx of new tenants and a stable employment base. — Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026 The bondhouse reaffirmed its BBB- rating, writing that Duncaster had lifted its performance since a downturn during the pandemic. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn
  1. slump
  2. deflation
  3. decrease
  4. shrinkage
  5. falloff
  6. downtrend
  7. diminution
  8. reduction
Noun
  • From this perspective, the fertility slump is a record of frustrated longing.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • China remains a key battleground for luxury brands seeking to revive growth after a two-year slump.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of slump
Noun
  • The Bank of Japan — or BOJ — started raising interest rates in 2024, a major change after decades of ultra-low rates aimed at combating deflation.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Higher energy and food prices pushed inflation up, adding to cost worries in a country that until recently was threatened with deflation.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of deflation
Noun
  • With a decrease in revenue, some or all of these services will be cut back.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The district reported decreases in the number of students who are low-income, English language learners or in temporary living situations.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • Curly and coily hair, for example, can appear to grow more slowly because of shrinkage and may also be more prone to breakage.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Not only is this version a third of the price, but shoppers say the quality might be even better, too—no shrinkage or pilling here.
    — Kate Boswell, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of shrinkage
Noun
  • About half of those seasons involved dramatic falloffs in production for those players the next year.
    — Michael Beller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The network decided to run the miniseries, originally slated to run weekly, on consecutive nights, to avoid a falloff in viewership, but also to get it all in before the ratings period.
    — Anne Haley, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of falloff
Noun
  • The stock's current downtrend began in early August, around the time that oil prices began another march higher.
    — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of downtrend
Noun
  • Goddard’s diminution is part of a broader pivot at NASA as the White House redirects the space agency to put American astronauts on the moon by 2028.
    — Eric Niiler, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Around the halfway point of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Petya Trofimov — eternal grad student, moral purist, and former tutor to the once wealthy family whose diminution sits at the heart of the play — makes a speech.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminution
Noun
  • The successor stadium is significantly larger—by over a half-a-million square feet—than what existed before while accommodating only 35,000 fans, a 26% reduction from the old stadium and, by far, the smallest capacity in the Big Ten.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • According to a district webpage, the bulk of the reduction plan will be implemented this school year.
    — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduction

Browse Nearby Words

downtrodden
downturn
downturns
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Cite this Entry

“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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