downward mobility

British  

noun

1. sociol the movement of an individual, social group, or class to a lower status Compare upward mobility See also horizontal mobility vertical mobility

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Example Sentences

"There's not only no upward mobility to start with, but even downward mobility ends with death."

From BBC

Another study found that 49% of older workers and their spouses will experience downward mobility in retirement.

From Salon

Opting out is an increasingly popular way for younger workers to cope with a time of downward mobility, said Beverly Yuen Thompson, a sociology professor at Siena College in Albany, New York.

From Seattle Times

Elite education developed his mastery of words while downward mobility cultivated his empathy for working people — and his rage against men of fortunes, privileges and luck.

From Washington Post

One of the stories I tell that hasn't heretofore been told is that elite colleges are a massive insurance policy against downward mobility.

From Salon