recessions

Definition of recessionsnext
plural of recession
1
as in slumps
a period of decreased economic activity the country is just coming out of a recession, so expect to see fewer layoffs and more new jobs in the coming year

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2
as in withdrawals
an act of moving away especially from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable a retiring CEO making a gradual recession from the daily rigors of running a major corporation

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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 recessions 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 The restaurants that endure here — through recessions, the pandemic and waves of rapid development — do so because customers keep walking through their doors. Chyna Blackmon, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2026 Energy shocks in the 1970s were associated with global recessions and persistent inflationary pressures. Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026 People who have come of age since 2007 have not had that confidence—two severe recessions, one bout of inflation, and now a third recession apparently imminent and another second bout of inflation apparently imminent. David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026 These are firms that have survived recessions, world wars, colonial collapses, and technological revolutions. Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 There is at the very least a normative case for the provision of relief, and maybe probably even enhanced relief relative to your normal unemployment insurance, targeted to where that relief is needed during economic recessions. Matt Peterson, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026 An extreme example of rolling recessions was Australia, which went 28 years without a full-on recession because a commodities boom that began in 1992 insulated the rest of the economy. David Goldman, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026 Simultaneously, major suppliers were having a price feud as fear of recessions loomed, and many states saw prices dip below $2 per gallon. Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recessions
Noun
  • Grier credited Warsofsky for helping to get the Sharks’ season back on track after at least three extended slumps.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026
  • His season has been a rollercoaster at times, interrupted by injuries and shooting slumps and the overall adjustment process to playing in Jokic’s orbit.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Brickner didn’t say yes or no to further withdrawals, but said the money must be handled very carefully.
    Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Plus, most beneficiaries who inherit traditional retirement accounts must liquidate them within 10 years and withdrawals are taxed, but no Roth withdrawals, even by heirs, is ever taxed.
    Medora Lee, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Make gentle depressions with your fingertips to create ¼-inch-deep divots.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
  • When possible, make turns on hard surfaces such as driveway, patios, and sidewalks to avoid tearing the grass and creating depressions.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For gamblers, especially younger ones who are just starting to earn and build the savings that will undergird their retirements, that can mean life-altering losses of wealth and financial stability.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
  • This is Fortune 500 Power Moves, a column tracking executive shifts—from appointments and promotions to resignations and retirements—within the highest ranks of Fortune 500 companies.
    Fortune Editors, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • On Bazaruto and Benguerra islands, ultra-luxe retreats have quietly welcomed in-the-know travelers in recent years, as Mozambique's tourism has steadily increased.
    Ali Pantony, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
  • From the coastal cliffs of Costa Rica to open-air Indonesian retreats, luxury villa rentals span locales and design sensibilities—if something rustic and Tuscan is not for you, something modernist and Mexican just may be.
    Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Recessions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recessions. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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