quantitative easing

American  

noun

Economics.

1. the policy by which a central bank creates money and uses it to purchase financial assets, thereby increasing the money supply and stimulating a weak economy. QE

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quantitative easing British  

noun

1. the practice of increasing the supply of money in order to stimulate economic activity

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Etymology

Origin of quantitative easing

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Shrinking the balance sheet will offset at least some of the expansion generated by several rounds of quantitative easing that the Fed initiated during and after the 2008 and 2020 recessions.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

The Fed’s balance sheet grew to an unprecedented size through three waves of quantitative easing that started after the financial crisis of 2008.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Warsh, despite his stated complaints about bonds on the Fed’s balance sheet, will have to turn toward quantitative easing.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

Many in the markets expect him to try to shrink the $6.6 trillion balance sheet and be reluctant to use quantitative easing as part of the Fed’s toolbox.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

One kind of monetary policy, which involves the central bank buying private assets, is chunked as quantitative easing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker