quantitative easing

American  

noun

Economics.

1. the policy by which a central bank creates money and uses it to purchase financial assets, thereby increasing the money supply and stimulating a weak economy. QE

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quantitative easing British  

noun

1. the practice of increasing the supply of money in order to stimulate economic activity

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Etymology

Origin of quantitative easing

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

According to Warsh, quantitative easing is appropriate during emergencies but should be reversed during normal times to avoid inappropriate interference with the Treasury Department’s implementation of fiscal policies authorized by Congress.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

With interest rates near zero at the time and quantitative easing already well under way, there wasn’t a lot else the Fed could do.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

One came in April 2010, following the end to the first round of quantitative easing to deal with the global financial crisis, with a flash crash for the S&P 500 that May.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026

Many in the markets expect him to try to shrink the $6.6 trillion balance sheet and be reluctant to use quantitative easing as part of the Fed’s toolbox.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

One kind of monetary policy, which involves the central bank buying private assets, is chunked as quantitative easing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker