boom-and-bust

American  

[boom-uhn-buhst] / ˈbum ənˈbʌst /

adjective

1. characteristic of a period of economic prosperity followed by a depression.

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Etymology

Origin of boom-and-bust

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Then again, the memory-chip business goes through its own boom-and-bust cycles.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

“Florida’s always been a boom-and-bust state,” said Hutchcraft.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Users who trade short-dated options in particular, or boom-and-bust options that expire in just days or even hours, have taken to prediction markets, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

In subsequent decades, Venezuela rode a boom-and-bust cycle, but by the late-1990s returned to producing near-record levels of 3 million barrels a day.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

From 1926 on, Odessa became forever enmeshed in the cycles of the boom-and-bust oil town.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger