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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Recent Examples of downturn
The rising prices of walnuts and almonds helped to offset the declining value of rice in what amounted to a downturn for the agricultural economy of Sutter County, and a slight bump for neighboring Yuba County.
—
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Marcolin’s nine-month performance reflects the eyewear sector’s ongoing resilience and ability to buck the downturn.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
The district’s enrollment fell by 2% this fall — part of a long downturn caused by declining birth rates and competition from other schools.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
REITs can swing more than the overall stock market, especially in downturns.
—Sam Dogen, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Marcolin’s nine-month performance reflects the eyewear sector’s ongoing resilience and ability to buck the downturn.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2025
The district’s enrollment fell by 2% this fall — part of a long downturn caused by declining birth rates and competition from other schools.
—Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
REITs can swing more than the overall stock market, especially in downturns.
—Sam Dogen, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn
Noun
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The fast food industry is in a slump, and Wendy’s isn’t immune.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
-
China manufacturing slump deepens.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In September, the decline in China’s factory-gate prices, a gauge of deflation, extended into the 36th straight month, though the drop has narrowed following Beijing’s attempt in recent months to rein in price competition in certain sectors.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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Rather than forcing lopsided trade deals on allies and friends, Washington would do better to organize a common message to Chinese leaders that a business model that fuels deflation at home and anger abroad is untenable.—
Christopher Smart,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The value of rice dropped from $488 per ton to $370, but the total decline also included a slight decrease of acreage, with 6,000 fewer acres harvested in the county.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Over the next year, the bankers predict their clients will push forward a 4% general decrease in headcount, while over the next three years, those headcount reductions could skyrocket to 11%.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Hot water can cause shrinkage or loss of shape.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 Oct. 2025
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Men showed a faster rate of brain shrinkage across more regions than women.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The factors behind the falloff are multifaceted and several are systemic in nature.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
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But the gains among older women are nowhere near enough to counter the sharp falloff in younger generations.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The downtrend that extended from the March highs was just broken in late September — something has changed.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
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January 2026 is estimated to reverse the downtrend of the previous months, although cargo declines will still reach 16.1 percent year over year to 1.87 million TEUs.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Of course, the early witnesses to Tongan culture were the agents of its disruption and diminution.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Oct. 2025
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Maryland has a diminution credit system in which some inmates can earn a reduction in their sentence.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The e-commerce behemoth is planning the workforce reduction largely to compensate for overhiring during the pandemic; its CEO also said AI could lead to the automation of routine tasks.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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Temperature reductions from extensive tree coverage offer sustainability benefits beyond mere aesthetics — a critical consideration in a climate where outdoor spaces become nearly uninhabitable for months each year.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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