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
Preston Fore, Fortune, 19 July 2025
The biggest potential risk for policymakers theoretically comes if there were stagflation, if inflation were to rise and unemployment increased then monetary policy would be pulled in two directions.
—Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Middle East stocks largely fell on Sunday, and analysts expect other world markets to slide Monday over fears that rising oil prices will cause global economic disruption and lead to stagflation.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 15 June 2025
Dimon said that stagflation — a recession with inflation — would be a worst-case scenario.
—Matt Ott, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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