neergangen

Neergangen is a Dutch noun meaning decline, downturn, or deterioration, especially in a process or over time. It describes a trend in which a condition, quality, or quantity worsens or diminishes. The term is used across disciplines such as economics, history, sociology, and culture to discuss declines in economies, civilizations, or social standards. The plural neergangen refers to multiple declines or periods of downturn.

Etymology and nuance: neergang consists of neer- (downward) and gang (going, movement). It denotes a process rather than a single event. While closely related, synonyms such as achteruitgang, verval, and afname carry slightly different shades: achteruitgang emphasizes backward movement, verval emphasizes deterioration, and afname simply means decrease.

Grammatical notes: Neergang is a masculine or common gender noun; the plural is neergangen. It is typically used with definite articles (de neergang) and in compound phrases (neergang van de economie, neergang van de beschaving). In evaluative writing, adjectives like langdurige, snelle, or ernstige are common.