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soft landing

American  

noun

Economics.
  1. a slowing down of economic growth at a manageable rate relative to inflation and unemployment.


soft landing British  

noun

  1. a landing by a spacecraft on the moon or a planet at a sufficiently low velocity for the equipment or occupants to remain unharmed

  2. a decrease in demand that does not result in a country's economy falling into recession

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of soft landing

First recorded in 1960–65


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.

See Examples For:

Back in 2022, when the labor market was much stronger, a soft landing was achievable.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

By summer 2024, the soft landing came into view.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026

But he was willing to name what he considers his greatest achievement: guiding the economy to a soft landing that virtually no one thought was possible.

From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026

It’s a soft landing for his fall from grace.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026

But much more importantly, it means a precision soft landing can be done remotely by a pilot in orbit.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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