recession

¹ American  

[ri-sesh-uhn] / rɪˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

1. the act of receding or withdrawing.

2. a receding part of a wall, building, etc.

3. a withdrawing procession, as at the end of a religious service.

4. Economics. a period of an economic contraction, sometimes limited in scope or duration.

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recession ² American  

[ree-sesh-uhn] / riˈsɛʃ ən /

noun

1. a return of ownership to a former possessor.

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recession ¹ British  

/ rɪˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. a temporary depression in economic activity or prosperity

2. the withdrawal of the clergy and choir in procession from the chancel at the conclusion of a church service

3. the act of receding

4. a part of a building, wall, etc, that recedes

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recession ² British  

/ riːˈsɛʃən /

noun

1. the act of restoring possession to a former owner

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recession Cultural  

1. A general business slump, less severe than a depression.

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Etymology

Origin of recession¹

First recorded in 1640–50, recession is from the Latin word recessiōn- (stem of recessiō ). See recess, -ion

Origin of recession²

First recorded in 1885–90; re- + cession

Explanation

Jobs being cut? Houses not selling? Everyone talking about the poor sales of everything from cars to bouquets of flowers? That's a recession, a time of economic decline. Recession comes from the Latin word recessus, meaning "a going back, retreat." Think of all the things that get made and sold in a country. When fewer people buy things, orders for them slow down. The sales "go back" to a lower amount. This is an economic recession. This noun can also describe other kinds of "going back," like the recession of floodwaters that enable people to begin cleaning up their homes that had been filled with water.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recession

Read: Half of Gen Z spends $0 a month on dating thanks to a ‘romance recession’

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Yet oil prices back near $100 a barrel still aren’t near $138 — the level that economists in March said would put the global economy in jeopardy of recession if sustained for three weeks.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026

Several studies suggest that GDP per capita has declined by at least 6%, a serious recession in a period when most other major nations have seen modest economic growth.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Consulting firm Capital Economics predicts that a prolonged, simultaneous closure of the waterways—or significant damage to Saudi pipeline or port infrastructure—could push the global economy into a recession.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

About a week after the lightning strike, the economy was struck by recession.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• bankruptcy
• collapse
• decline
• deflation
• downturn
• hard times
• inflation
• shakeout
• slide
• slump
• stagnation
• unemployment