Sudden or sustained declines or reversals in something previously positive, especially in economic conditions or business performance.
From 'down' plus 'turn' (from Old French 'tourner'). The term emerged in 20th-century economics to describe cyclical declines in business activity, contrasting with 'upturns.'
The business cycle alternates between 'upturns' and 'downturns' with an almost rhythmic reliability—yet people are perpetually surprised when downturns arrive. The word encapsulates a pattern humans keep forgetting about.
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