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
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
From stagflation warnings and stalled Iran talks to rising oil prices, red flags are everywhere.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Goldman Sachs has warned of a stagflation-like effect as inflation risks rise even as growth slows, per Yahoo Finance’s April 2026 reporting.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026
Given today’s labor market and inflation rate, the stagflation comparison makes perfect sense.
—Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 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 2 May. 2026.
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