downturn
Americannoun
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an act or instance of turning down or the state of being turned down.
the downturn of a lower lip in a permanent pout.
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a turn or trend downward; decrease or decline.
The new year brought a downturn in the cost of living.
noun
Etymology
Origin of downturn
First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase turn down
Explanation
A dip or reduction in an economic measure is a downturn. If a company makes less money than it did last year, for example, that's a downturn. You'll often find the word downturn in business or economic news, describing the country's entire economy, or the activity of a particular sector of the economy. If car sales decline, that's a downturn, and if fewer homes are sold, it's a downturn in the housing market. Ever since the mid-1920s, the word downturn has been commonly used by economists and business reporters.
Vocabulary lists containing downturn
"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 14
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Games of Deception
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"The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century," Vocabulary from Chapter 14
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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 International Monetary Fund has warned the world risks sinking into a deep downturn the longer the strait remains shut.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
After dropping just eight games in his Roland Garros opener against Clement Tabur, Sinner was in similarly commanding form against Cerundolo, leading 6-3 6-2 5-1 before suffering a dramatic physical downturn.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
To be sure, even when the gauge has crossed into unfavorable territory in the past, it has not always been followed by an immediate market downturn.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
The governor has explained that his original policy was more costly than expected and that difficult decisions must be made as the state could soon face an economic downturn.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Some teachers blamed the erosion on the effects of the economic downturn in the oil patch, which had dealt Odessa a crippling blow.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
