belt-tightening

[belt-tahyt-n-ing]

noun

1. a curtailment in spending; period of economizing.

   The mayor ordered a belt-tightening for all city offices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of belt-tightening¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

But growing AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and belt-tightening driven by higher costs likely played a role as well.

Read more on MarketWatch

“Some industries are correcting after the hiring boom of the pandemic, but this comes as AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and rising costs drive belt-tightening and hiring freezes,” Andy Challenger, chief revenue officer for Challenger, Gray and Christmas, said in a statement.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Belt-tightening is overused corporate jargon, but it is particularly apt at the moment.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some 30,000 positions will be cut in a belt-tightening move expected to begin on Tuesday, multiple news outlets reported.

Read more on Barron's

The company had already been undergoing scattered instances of belt-tightening.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• decline 
• reduction 
• reversal