deceleration

American  

[dee-sel-uh-rey-shuhn] / diˌsɛl əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

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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

deceler(ate) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

However, given the scale of Meta’s investments, “there is little margin for error, or room for much beyond modest deceleration,” they said.

From Barron's

While Dollar General’s forecast for comparable sales growth beat expectations, it marked a deceleration from 3% growth in fiscal 2025, putting the company on track to end three years of acceleration.

From Barron's

In the spring of 2025, while BLS first prints showed employment holding up, ADP data was already signaling deceleration as early as May.

From Barron's

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

Analysts pointed to a deceleration in bookings in the latest quarter, saying the trend would likely continue in 2026.

From Barron's

Related Words

• decline
• delay
• downtrend
• downturn
• drop
• drop-off
• falloff
• slackening
• stagnation
• strike