stagflation
noun
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Stagflation is a portmanteau, that is, a word that blends two others (in this case, "stagnation" and "inflation"). The first documented use of the word appeared in 1965 in the writing of British politician Iain Macleod, who wrote, "We now have the worst of both worlds - not just inflation on the one side or stagnation on the other, but both of them together. We have a sort of 'stagflation' situation." Macleod is often credited with coining the term, and his linguistic invention was quickly embraced by economists in the United States, who used it to refer to the period of economic sluggishness and high inflation that affected the country in the 1970s.
Examples of stagflation in a Sentence
Sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2025
He’s been especially hard-hitting on Trump’s tariffs and the president’s trade deals, while warning of stagflation.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2025
Sounds to him like a stagflation play - higher prices and lower growth.
—Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
June’s inflation data came in broadly lower than expected, marking a sharp turnaround from the stagflation concerns that gripped the market in the first quarter.
—Benzinga, Freep.com, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagflation
Cite this Entry
“Stagflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagflation. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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