DOWNTURN Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

downturn

noun

Definition of downturn

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 Berluti’s intentionally narrow approach appears to be insulating the business from the wider economic downturn. — Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 Alphabet shares plunged 12% Thursday, a record downturn for the large-cap issue erasing $500 billion in market value, after the company missed third-quarter revenue targets and reported a slowdown in its core search business. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026 China’s domestic demand has been weighed down by a yearslong downturn in its property market. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 High leverage can have snowball effects in a market downturn. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downturn

Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn

Noun

In downtown Tehran, cafes are constantly packed — a striking sight for a country grappling with Western sanctions and an economic slump exacerbated by the war.

— CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Micron , SanDisk , Western Digital — Memory stocks fell, continuing their Friday slump.

— Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of slump

Noun

The officer positioned themself ahead of the vehicle and deployed tire deflation devices, disabling the vehicle’s front driver’s-side tire, according to police.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026
Starbucks is also projecting slight deflation in coffee prices and slowing net new North American cafe openings, which will both weigh on its full-year revenue, according to CFO Cathy Smith.

— Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of deflation

Noun

On the other hand, eight months of daylight saving time isn’t enough for business owners, who see decreases in foot traffic as evenings get darker.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Officials say during his time in office, the department launched its real-time crime center, created the Neighborhood Resource Unit and Citizens Advisory Committee, and saw crime decrease by double digits annually.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of decrease

Noun

Using high heat settings and forgetting to use dryer sheets or wool dryer balls can also contribute to sheet shrinkage and stiffness.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 26 Oct. 2026
Most of the shrinkage came from people losing or leaving jobs, more than from employers hiring fewer people.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of shrinkage

Noun

Analysts blame the falloff on Converse’s inability to innovate and its overreliance on the Chuck Taylor model, Fortune’s Phil Wahba reports.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Sarandos told investors in July that such declines are typical and that second season falloff is slightly improved this year.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of falloff

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

But this year, OVS slashed its funding, forcing service reductions and uncertainty while barring the program from using grant money to help survivors across county lines.

— Connie Neal, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
Subramaniam said the company is on track to achieve $650 million in operating profit improvement in Europe by the 2029 fiscal year, the majority of which will be cost reduction.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduction

Browse Nearby Words

downtrodden

downturn

downturns

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Style

“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of downturn

noun

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