deceleration
Americannoun
-
the fact of losing speed, or the act of reducing the speed of something.
Prolonged deceleration of the fetal heart rate is cause for concern.
-
the act or process of slowing the rate of increase of something.
During that quarter, job creation stalled and stocks fell, confirming that there was a deceleration in the economy.
Usage
What does deceleration mean? Deceleration describes a decrease in velocity, that is, momentum.Deceleration describes the slowing of an increase. Wind, for example, moves with a certain amount of momentum. When the wind’s momentum slows down, that is, the wind doesn’t blow as hard, we can say that the wind is experiencing deceleration.Example: The deceleration of the ship came abruptly to the passengers.
Other Word Forms
- nondeceleration noun
Etymology
Origin of deceleration
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 discomforting reality is that, while Altman and his ilk have been predicting an exponential acceleration of productivity, we have been experiencing a deceleration.
From Salon
But “we noted some deceleration in certain products and categories, which was more pronounced in the fourth quarter.”
From New York Times
The wheel bearing failed during that deceleration, she said, and Car 23 derailed, triggering the emergency brake.
From Washington Post
The Commerce Department’s revised estimate of the fourth quarter’s gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — marked a deceleration from the 3.2% growth rate from July through September.
From Washington Times
The Commerce Department’s revised estimate of last quarter’s gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods and services — marked a deceleration from the 3.2% growth rate from July through September.
From Seattle Times
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.
