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
To amplify the downside pressure in equities, the jobs report experienced a significant, unexpected downturn in February 2026, with nonfarm payrolls falling by 92,000.
—
Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
The mini downturn inevitably sparked concerns among the fanbase over whether Chelsea’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League were receding.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Economic downturns changed that mindset.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026
In the former case, it was driven largely by the economic downturn itself—buyers simply couldn’t afford new cars in a shrinking economy with tightening credit requirements.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Jeff Kilburg, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026
The mini downturn inevitably sparked concerns among the fanbase over whether Chelsea’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League were receding.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Economic downturns changed that mindset.
—Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026
In the former case, it was driven largely by the economic downturn itself—buyers simply couldn’t afford new cars in a shrinking economy with tightening credit requirements.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn
Noun
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The data suggests the slump in academic performance is not rooted only in instructional disruption.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
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The war, which disrupted shipping via the world's most vital oil export route, has sent oil prices surging, upending global travel, pushing airline tickets on some routes sky-high, and sparking fears of a deep travel slump that could lead to widespread grounding of planes.—
Shivangi Lahiri,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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China’s consumer-price growth accelerated to the quickest in over three years and factory deflation moderated again, after a rally in energy markets and as household spending boomed during a later-than-usual Lunar New Year holiday.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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China reported its highest inflation rate in three years, a welcome sign for a country grappling with deflation and moribund consumption.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Estimates then included a $79 million decrease in sales taxes.—
Bryan P. Sears,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Mar. 2026
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The average home value in Elk Grove is currently $624,443, according to Zillow, which represents a slight decrease from the prior year.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The structure combines polymers with different shrinkage and luster properties, producing a soft loft and diffuse reflection intended to mimic the sheen of rayon or silk.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Mar. 2026
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Attach with Velcro for easy removal and air dry to prevent shrinkage.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Offseason price falloffs are common in all sports, and those at the top are often among the most impacted.—
Benjamin Burrows,
New York Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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But that’s become much less certain, given the backlash against his draconian immigration enforcement policies; numerous polls show a significant falloff in Latino support for the president, which could hurt GOP candidates up and down the ballot.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Risk management Josh — Target spent most of the last year repairing a long downtrend, but the character of the chart has changed in the last few months.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
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Instead, the double feature has been saddled with less than expected revenues, from a downtrend in consumer spending decreasing Measure A outflow, deep cuts in state and federal funds, and higher housing costs, forcing reductions in services amounting to close to a quarter million dollars a year.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There may be some pressure as well on institutions to reduce tuition; and the major question is whether doing so might result in diminution of necessary instruction and training, particularly in person.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Nov. 2025
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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
Noun
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These efficiency gains mean that hybrids using the Amorphous Motor in their powertrains will see a 1% reduction in fuel and power consumption compared to those using existing motor designs, helping automotive OEMs deliver a new generation of low-emission vehicle models, as per the release.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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The changes were slight — reductions of just one-tenth of a second and one-half of a mile to a solar lap spanning two years and hundreds of millions of miles, according to the scientists.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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