trickle-down

adjective

trick·​le-down ˈtri-kəl-ˈdau̇n How to pronounce trickle-down (audio)
1
: relating to or working on the principle of trickle-down theory
trickle-down economics
2
: relating to or being an effect caused gradually by remote or indirect influences

Examples of trickle-down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That kind of generational trauma can have a trickle-down effect as stories of deprivation, separation, and starvation are passed down from grandparents, to parents, to children, to grandchildren. Jae-Ha Kim, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025 Nagging LaMalfa’s office is particularly important given the cuts that Musk wants to make across the federal government, and the trickle-down effect that may have on the rural northern county. Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2025 The staffing issues are having a trickle-down effect on the residents that HACC serves, some say. Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2025 Analysis shows the trickle-down impact of transborder trade and jobs. Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trickle-down

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trickle-down was in 1944

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Cite this Entry

“Trickle-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trickle-down. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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