deceleration
Americannoun
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the fact of losing speed, or the act of reducing the speed of something.
Prolonged deceleration of the fetal heart rate is cause for concern.
-
the act or process of slowing the rate of increase of something.
During that quarter, job creation stalled and stocks fell, confirming that there was a deceleration in the economy.
Usage
What does deceleration mean? Deceleration describes a decrease in velocity, that is, momentum.Deceleration describes the slowing of an increase. Wind, for example, moves with a certain amount of momentum. When the wind’s momentum slows down, that is, the wind doesn’t blow as hard, we can say that the wind is experiencing deceleration.Example: The deceleration of the ship came abruptly to the passengers.
Other Word Forms
- nondeceleration noun
Etymology
Origin of deceleration
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.
Monthly personal consumption expenditure growth during the following month was just 0.08% in July 2022, a notable deceleration from the 1.03% monthly gain in June 2022, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
The company’s guidance points to a deceleration in growth amid competition with ByteDance’s Soda Music, Su says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
The deceleration was driven largely by a 9.2% plunge in energy prices after the government rolled out subsidies to help households cope with rising living costs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
Analysts project fourth-quarter product revenue to increase 27% year-over-year, a slight deceleration from 29% in Q3.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
There is literally nothing I can do but hold on until, with no deceleration, we slam to a stop.
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
