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.
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 Now that Grapefruit League games have begun, here are some tidbits from the first two weeks in Red Sox camp: Alex Bregman’s position and the trickle-down effect Since arriving a week ago, Bregman has taken infield work at both second and third, flipping almost every other day at each position. Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025 New multistory apartment buildings packed in along Sunset Boulevard or the Wilshire corridor may add to L.A.’s total housing stock, but even when affordable rental units are required in these buildings, the trickle-down benefit is minimal. Joel Kotkin, The Mercury News, 22 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 13 Mar. 2025.

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