slump

American  

[sluhmp] / slʌmp /

verb (used without object)

1. to drop or fall heavily; collapse.

   Suddenly she slumped to the floor.

2. to assume a slouching, bowed, or bent position or posture.

   Stand up straight and don't slump!

3. to decrease or fall suddenly and markedly, as prices or the market.

4. to decline or deteriorate, as health, business, quality, or efficiency.

5. to sink into a bog, muddy place, etc., or through ice or snow.

6. to sink heavily, as the spirits.

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noun

1. an act or instance of slumping.

2. a decrease, decline, or deterioration.

   Synonyms:

   setback, reverse, lapse

3. a period of decline or deterioration.

4. any mild recession in the economy as a whole or in a particular industry.

5. a period during which a person performs slowly, inefficiently, or ineffectively, especially a period during which an athlete or team fails to play or score as well as usual.

6. a slouching, bowed, or bent position or posture, especially of the shoulders.

7. a landslide or rockslide.

8. the vertical subsidence of freshly mixed concrete that is a measure of consistency and stiffness.

9. New England Cooking. a dessert made with cooked fruit, especially apples or berries, topped with a thick layer of biscuit dough or crumbs.

slump ¹ British  

/ slʌmp /

verb

1. to sink or fall heavily and suddenly

2. to relax ungracefully

3. (of business activity, etc) to decline suddenly; collapse

4. (of health, interest, etc) to deteriorate or decline suddenly or markedly

5. (of soil or rock) to slip down a slope, esp a cliff, usually with a rotational movement

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noun

1. a sudden or marked decline or failure, as in progress or achievement; collapse

2. a decline in commercial activity, prices, etc

3. economics another word for depression

4. the act of slumping

5. a slipping of earth or rock; landslide

Slump ² British  

/ slʌmp /

noun

1. another name for the Depression

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Other Word Forms

• unslumped adjective
• unslumping adjective

Etymology

Origin of slump

1670–80; originally, to sink into a bog or mud; perhaps imitative ( plump ² )

Example Sentences

I hope Hank Greenberg’s busted out of his slump by now.

From Literature

I slump in my seat and start picking at a tiny blob of ink stuck on my desk.

From Literature

Axel feels Ray’s body slump before turning toward the porch.

From Literature

In my room, I close the door and feel my legs give out as I slump onto the floor.

From Literature

With a triumphant yet eerily monotone cry, it released Merriweather, letting her slump over.

From Literature

Related Words

• collapse
• deteriorate
• droop
• drop
• fall
• fall off
• go down
• hunch
• plummet
• plunge
• sag
• slide
• slip
• slouch
• tumble