deflation

noun

de·​fla·​tion di-ˈflā-shən How to pronounce deflation (audio)
ˌdē-
1
: an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated
2
: a contraction in the volume of available money or credit that results in a general decline in prices
3
: the erosion of soil by the wind
deflationary adjective

Examples of deflation in a Sentence

Economists worry that deflation will bring the country into recession.
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.
Unlike their bosses, some of whom ascended to the heights of authority in their 30s (Emanuel) and even their late 20s (De Luca), young professionals today — who are toiling in an industry plagued with title deflation and ever-diminishing paydays — see no clear path to the top. Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024 China is facing the longest period of deflation since the 1990s, with a broad measure of economy-wide prices falling for five straight quarters through June — a stretch that likely continued through September. Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2024 China’s deflation worries deepened in September with consumer prices rising at their slowest pace in three months at 0.4% from a year earlier, while the producer price index fell at the fastest pace in six months, down 2.8%. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024 Officials spoke little about deflation at the hourlong briefing on Saturday. L'oreal Thompson Payton, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deflation 

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deflation was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near deflation

Cite this Entry

“Deflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deflation. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

deflation

noun
de·​fla·​tion di-ˈflā-shən How to pronounce deflation (audio)
ˈdē-
1
: an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated
2
: a reduction in the volume of available money or credit resulting in a decline of the general price level
deflationary adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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