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
Of course, the Red Sox’s dramatic downturn isn’t only about the loss of Bregman’s bat.
—
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Economists disagree about whether the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately drive the world's economy into a downturn, in part because the duration of the waterway's effective closure remains murky.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
This suggests that the downturn is not just the number of suicide deaths returning to their prepandemic baseline, Patel says.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Industry associations frame the career as one with enviable job security, given the ever-increasing need for nurses that supersedes economic downturns.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Economists disagree about whether the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz will ultimately drive the world's economy into a downturn, in part because the duration of the waterway's effective closure remains murky.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
This suggests that the downturn is not just the number of suicide deaths returning to their prepandemic baseline, Patel says.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Industry associations frame the career as one with enviable job security, given the ever-increasing need for nurses that supersedes economic downturns.
—Tristan Bove, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downturn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturn
Noun
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The entire Mets lineup has been marred in an uncharacteristic slump, but in the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday night at Citi Field, Juan Soto uncorked a very characteristic home run.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Few buyers Despite seemingly noteworthy discounts, there’s a long-term slump in condo sales.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And while the conflict in the Middle East temporarily warded off deflation, the gains have since subsided as Chinese industry continues to run below capacity, the chief economist for Asia Pacific at French bank Natixis argued.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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The trend has exacerbated China’s deflation problem and weighed on the economy as prices decline and consumption weakens.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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According to Gary’s 2025 Public Safety Report, the city’s homicide rate is its lowest since 1970, and fatal shootings decreased from 133 incidents in 2024 to 101 in 2025, which is a 24% decrease.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The decrease in students also means a decrease in state funding for next school year.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For example, certain psychiatric illnesses have been shown to cause atrophy, or shrinkage, of parts of the brain.—
Eric J. Nestler,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
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Air drying is best to prevent shrinkage, but combining it with a low-heat dryer cycle minimizes wrinkles.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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This stock was a disaster from May 2025 through the November lows near $48, losing roughly half its value in a grinding downtrend.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
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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
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On Friday, swaps markets reflected around a 40% chance of a reduction by then, rising from about 20% after the Justice Department dropped its investigation into the Fed.—
Michael MacKenzie,
Bloomberg,
26 Apr. 2026
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Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the budget proposal on Capitol Hill last week, telling senators that the visitor experience to parks can be improved even while spending and staff reductions are made.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downturn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturn. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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