hard landing
Americannoun
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Aeronautics. an uncontrolled or rough landing by an aircraft or spacecraft, usually resulting in damage.
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Economics. an economic downturn or recession after a period of strong demand and expansion.
noun
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a landing by a rocket or spacecraft in which the vehicle is destroyed on impact
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a sharp fall into recession following a sustained period of economic growth
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The super athletic forward who thrilled fans with his highlight-reel dunks last season took a hard landing on one wild drive during the first half and limped toward the bench.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Micron Technology shares are flying high for all the right fundamental reasons — but by one technical measure, they now look primed for a hard landing.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 2, 2026
“The key takeaway remains: if the economy avoids a hard landing, the AI trade—which is a secular, multiyear theme of productivity growth—will simply carry on,” said Tigay at Catalyst Hedged Equity Fund.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2025
As a result of a hard landing, the BOE would be confronted with “an even more dramatic inflation undershoot” than in a bumpy landing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2025
Her hard landing made the branch sway to and fro, but she had sea legs enough to manage it, after all the traveling she had done.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
