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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The group that decreased sedentary time had lower lactate levels in their blood, and within that group bigger decreases in lactate corresponded to greater improvements in metabolic flexibility.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
5 Mar. 2026
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Data suggests that having an irregular sleep schedule can lead to a decrease in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, contributing to prediabetes in people who are otherwise healthy.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
5 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
-
Attach with Velcro for easy removal and air dry to prevent shrinkage.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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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
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Despite his steep falloff in OT last year, Detective Capt.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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 11 Mar. 2026.
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