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

Young people and educators are returning to school amid national anxiety over a learning recession that researchers suggest dates back to 2013.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

In that case, those believing in lower rates would be correct, but for a difficult reason — a major financial crash followed by recession or depression.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

These latest figures have warded off recession concerns, at least for now.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

In a region where growth has been anemic, “this might be enough to make the economy stagnate,” even if it’s unlikely to cause a recession, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

The economy was in recession in 1975 and Milton had been forced to close a few franchises.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

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