What is "downturns"

Usage examples of "downturns".

Taxes, economic downturns, and competition were all out of sight for the moment.

And Nicholas's role within the conglomerate was increasing exponentially, since he had more experience with significant economic downturns than any Japanese.

Several steel and auto plants had shut down, and two major banks failed, throwing thousands of white-collar workers out of jobs and causing downturns in real-estate, advertising, law and other fields.