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
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Higher prices and slowing growth have sparked fears of stagflation in the world’s fourth-largest economy.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
Fears of stagflation have risen in recent weeks.
—Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 18 May 2026
Just weeks ago, the talk was of a possible recession or stagflation.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stagflation
Cite this Entry
“Stagflation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagflation. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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