Great Depression

noun

: the period of severe worldwide economic decline that began in 1929 and lasted throughout the 1930s and that was marked by deflation and widespread unemployment
After the 1906 catastrophe, demand for office space caused rents in the Block to spike, and insurance companies and steamship firms replaced artists and writers. During the Great Depression, however, rents dropped again and the bohemians returned.Gary Kamiya
From 1937 to 1938, during the height of the Great Depression, the Farm Securities Administration briefly ran a migrant labor camp in the area.Janet Balicki

Examples of Great Depression in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The success stories here all began with hard times—whether that was the Great Depression, poverty or even homelessness. Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2026 The slugburger is a Great Depression Era food that was invented to make meat rations go further. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 9 June 2026 The Great Depression likely had a negative impact on Turn Verein membership. Graham Womack may 2, Sacbee.com, 2 May 2026 Similarly, the 1929 stock market crash couldn’t have caused the Great Depression as only about 2% of American households owned stock at the time. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for Great Depression

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Great Depression was in 1930

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Cite this Entry

“Great Depression.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Great%20Depression. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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