# slump

/ˈsɫəmp/ (US) · /slˈʌmp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slump
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. economic/performance decline

noun · CEFR B2

a period when business, prices, or a person's performance falls suddenly and stays low.

For teachers: a period of poor activity or performance, particularly in an economic or competitive context.

- The housing market is in a slump, so it is a difficult time to sell a home.
- Economists are concerned that the current industrial slump might signal the beginning of a more prolonged recession across the eurozone.

### 3. geological movement

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of landslide where a large piece of earth or rock moves a short distance down a hill.

For teachers: a form of mass wasting where a coherent mass of material moves down a slope along a curved surface.

- Heavy rains caused a slump on the hillside, blocking the road with mud.
- The geological survey identified a massive slump along the coastal cliffs, warning that further erosion could destabilize the lighthouse foundation.

### 4. to fall or decline

verb · CEFR B2

to fall heavily or to decrease suddenly in value.

For teachers: to undergo a sudden or significant decrease in price, value, or amount; to collapse heavily.

- Profits slumped by twenty percent after the new tax was introduced.
- Share prices slumped following the CEO's unexpected resignation, wiping millions off the company's market valuation within hours.

### 5. to slouch

verb · CEFR B2

to sit or stand with your shoulders down because you are tired or bored.

For teachers: to assume a drooping or slouching posture; to sit or move in a listless manner.

- Don't slump in your chair; it is bad for your back.
- The exhausted marathon runner slumped against the barrier, gasping for air as volunteers rushed to offer assistance.

## Examples

- The housing market is in a major slump right now.
- After three years of record growth, the tech sector entered a sudden slump that led to widespread hiring freezes.
- Economists debated whether the current industrial slump was a temporary correction or the beginning of a prolonged recessionary period that would require government intervention.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.