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.
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Recent Examples of downturns
Local governments and schools, which rely heavily on property taxes, will face funding uncertainties during economic downturns.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026
They’re often placed in precarious roles, squeezed out during economic downturns, or worn down by additional pressures their male peers aren’t always facing.
—Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
These liquidations can exacerbate downturns, said Ryan Rasmussen, head of research at Bitwise Asset Management.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Advance was known in the industry for a pledge that employees who weren’t in a union would have jobs regardless of economic downturns or technological advances.
—Scott Mayerowitz, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Advance was known in the industry for a pledge that employees who weren't in a union would have jobs regardless of economic downturns or technological advances.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
Then again, signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract this past offseason was supposed to help prevent these extreme downturns.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Despite the later success of SoftBank’s Alibaba investment, its timing coincided with one of the largest market downturns in modern history, led largely by collapsing technology and Internet stocks.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 May 2026
He’s obsessed with positioning Putin as the kind of strongman who ordinary Russians want to lead them out of financial downturns and corruption crises.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026
They’re often placed in precarious roles, squeezed out during economic downturns, or worn down by additional pressures their male peers aren’t always facing.
—Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
These liquidations can exacerbate downturns, said Ryan Rasmussen, head of research at Bitwise Asset Management.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Advance was known in the industry for a pledge that employees who weren’t in a union would have jobs regardless of economic downturns or technological advances.
—Scott Mayerowitz, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
Advance was known in the industry for a pledge that employees who weren't in a union would have jobs regardless of economic downturns or technological advances.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
Then again, signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract this past offseason was supposed to help prevent these extreme downturns.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Despite the later success of SoftBank’s Alibaba investment, its timing coincided with one of the largest market downturns in modern history, led largely by collapsing technology and Internet stocks.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 May 2026
He’s obsessed with positioning Putin as the kind of strongman who ordinary Russians want to lead them out of financial downturns and corruption crises.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downturns
Noun
-
And, just like batters go into slumps, so do pitchers.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
Pairing coffee with food slows absorption and helps avoid the energy slumps that drive people to reach for more.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Following significant reforms in 2022 and 2023, 18 new carriers have entered the market, and dozens have filed for rate decreases, some by double digits.—
Chuck Bonfiglio,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2026
-
In reaction to pay decreases and general concerns around the cost of living, SEIU Local 1000 has sought legislative and contract relief in the form of a 20% wage increase from 2026 to 2028.—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The leadership team aimed to protect the product roadmap and innovation capacity, while directing most reductions to G&A, sales and marketing, and corporate functions.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
-
Among the products highlighted during the earnings call were popular Kirkland Signature items that received noticeable price reductions.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
On the other hand, bad news on the jobs front or a greater likelihood of a recession would trigger periodic dips in mortgage rates.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
10 Dec. 2025
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To ensure your guests’ safety, check your fridge for select salad dressings, dips, sauces, and prepared meals sold at Costco and Publix stores.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Similar deteriorations took place in Tuscany and in Naples.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That stint came to an end in April, though, following friendly losses to Egypt and Serbia.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
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The worst record in the American League A season after setting the MLB record for the most losses in a single season (121), the White Sox were pacing for an encore at 23-49 on June 15.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Altering that process significantly enough to ease that bottleneck would likely come with other trade-offs, experts said, such as earlier deadlines to turn in certain ballots or more time-consuming ballot drop-offs — either of which might dissuade some voters from showing up.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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Instead, it’s made for everyday family life, from quick errands and daycare drop-offs to short trips and all the little moments in between.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Key parameters such as time to recover (TTR), revenue at risk, lead times, OTIF and service-level degradations can be evaluated and compared across mitigation options.—
Dileep Rai,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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The answer is not much—Fennell makes explicit, via sadomasochism, the power differentials and emotional degradations that are so often ambiguous in the original.—
Rhian Sasseen,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downturns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downturns. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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