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
Earn some more points in that final stretch, or tack on another win during some other downturn this season, and maybe the Sharks are getting ready for their first postseason appearance in seven years.
—
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank, has advocated for something similar, recently proposing a plan that would allow the government to nimbly navigate its stressed budget the next time the economy enters a downturn.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Frey adds that society’s resistance to automation tends to coincide with economic downturns, like during the Great Depression, or recessions in the 1960s.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But Spoelstra also insisted that one season out of the playoffs after six seasons in should not be viewed as part of an ongoing downturn.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank, has advocated for something similar, recently proposing a plan that would allow the government to nimbly navigate its stressed budget the next time the economy enters a downturn.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Frey adds that society’s resistance to automation tends to coincide with economic downturns, like during the Great Depression, or recessions in the 1960s.
—Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026
But Spoelstra also insisted that one season out of the playoffs after six seasons in should not be viewed as part of an ongoing downturn.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn
Noun
-
The slump could have a variety of causes, including smartphones in classrooms and COVID.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Cincinnati's Ke’Bryan Hayes ended a career-worst 0-for-33 slump with a single in the sixth, ending the longest active streak in the majors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Near the Sacramento International Airport, deputies were able to deploy a tire deflation device.—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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China reported higher producer prices for the first time since 2022, alleviating fears of persistent deflation in the world’s second-biggest economy, but driving concerns of a global wave of inflation resulting from the Iran war.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
According to new data from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), there was a decrease in work zone crashes, deaths, and injuries in 2025.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Even small decreases in cognitive functioning may be associated with a higher risk of death.—
Doug Brugge,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Wash, then air-dry to prevent shrinkage.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Exposing the wrong items to the high heat of a dryer can cause damage and shrinkage, or even create a dangerous situation.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The trend is more of a downward slope than an abrupt falloff, but the gradient is steep and represents a crisis to colleges dependent on filling classroom seats and dorm beds.—
Jeffrey Selingo,
The Atlantic,
12 Apr. 2026
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The global emphasis also comes at a time when Hollywood’s local crews and soundstages are struggling from a historic falloff in local production as producers shoot more projects overseas in pursuit of tax credits.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The trend This stock had been mired in a two-year downtrend and finally broken it.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
-
These experts also invariably forecast a sharp downtrend in the inflation curve once the conflict ends.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This is the diminution of American power, the erosion of American power, and Trump is doing it willfully, with no strategic idea in his head.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
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In both films, the effect is of a diminution, a depersonalization—not to say, a desecration of the experience of horror that the documentary element embodies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Parents of students with disabilities have expressed concern about civil rights cases closing too soon and difficulties of knowing who to talk to after the reduction in force occurred.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
19 Apr. 2026
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The Perseverance rover, which is on Mars collecting rock and soil samples, could face spending reductions.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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