DOWNTURNS Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

downturns

noun

plural of downturn

as in deflations

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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of downturns For decades, letter shapes have been used to sum up the economy, especially following major downturns. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 Comptroller Phil Diamond has said a minimum of $300 million should be held in reserve to protect against tourism market downturns that could impair the county’s ability to pay for its ongoing obligations. — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 The industry is facing what’s been described as one of the most severe and prolonged downturns in decades, and the impacts continue to ripple throughout the wine sector and beyond. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Initiatives like microcredentialing programs, unemployment insurance, and portable benefits could limit the severity of future labor market downturns by supporting this growing cohort of workers. — Noah Yosif, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 Their 32-5 stretch over the summer put the Red Sox in a good position to endure inevitable downturns and the dog days of August. — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Leaders throughout history, such as Julius Caesar and Abraham Lincoln, have taught us plenty of lessons about leadership during turbulent times, including wars, economic downturns, technological disruptions, political instability and social changes. — Don Weber, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturns

Noun

Bitcoin and gold snapped back from steep midyear slumps, with bitcoin vaulting above $77,000 and gold nearing $4,700 as investors rushed into alternative assets this week.

— Michelle Chapman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Bumble and competitor Tinder, owned by Match Group, have reported consecutive declining rates of paying users, revenue and stock slumps in recent years.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of slumps

Noun

Some early studies are showing that people using AI chatbots designed with cognitive behavior therapy principles experienced decreases in symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to psychologists.

— Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
But the summer months have also thrown into sharp relief the unequal way in which those decreases in violence have shown up across the city.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of decreases

Noun

Investigators reported a dose-dependent drop in biomarker levels on certain measures, meaning higher doses led to greater reductions, a sign the drug is having an effect.

— Andrew Joseph, STAT, 29 Aug. 2026
Dignity Health did not directly address questions about staffing reductions Friday.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of reductions

Noun

Analysts on average expect growth of 11% this fiscal year, before its dips down to 10% in the next two years, according to LSEG.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
But for the rest of the year, Rice simply lived there, working in an office off an 800-square-foot primary suite and taking dips in the pool or the ocean outside his door.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of dips

Noun

Mayer’s three professional defeats have now all come in England, following split-decision losses to Alycia Baumgardner in London in 2022 and Natasha Jonas in Liverpool in 2024.

— Amelie Claydon, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Rather than immediately exposing maneuver forces to direct contact, Russian commanders typically first attempt to inflict sufficient losses on Ukrainian defenders to make the subsequent assault more manageable.

— Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of losses

Browse Nearby Words

downturn

downturns

downward

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Downturns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturns. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of downturns

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes