boom // noun, verb
(Economics )
■ noun [C]
BABY BOOM
a sudden increase in trade and economic activity; a period of wealth and success:
a boom in sales
The sales boom is attributed to low unemployment and low interest rates.
the Internet boom of the 1990s
a boom year (for trade, exports, etc.)
OPP SLUMP
a consumer/credit/ an economic/investment/ a sales/spending boom
◆ a property/retail boom
◆ a boom period/year boom times/years
IDIOMS
boom and bust
a feature of an economic system or an industry where a period of success and wealth is followed by a period of difficulty, then by another period of success, and so on in a repeated pattern:
IT is a highly competitive industry, prone to boom and bust.
the boom-and-bust cycle of agriculture
■ verb [no obj]
(about a business or an economy) to have a period of rapid growth; to become bigger, more successful, etc:
Use of the Internet has boomed in recent years.
Business is booming!
booming adjective [usually before noun]:
a booming housing market
booming exports