A slump is a period when something that was going well starts going poorly. When a baseball player is in a slump, they struggle to get hits after weeks of batting well. When a business is in a slump, sales drop and profits shrink. The word captures that sinking feeling when success seems to slip away.

The key thing about a slump is that it's usually temporary. A student might hit a slump in math after acing several tests, struggling with a new topic before bouncing back. A writer in a slump stares at a blank page, unable to find the right words, even though they've written great stories before.

Slumps are a normal part of learning and growing. Everyone faces them at some point. People often try to keep going by practicing more, asking for help, or staying patient. With time and effort, many slumps pass.

The word can also mean to collapse or sink down heavily, like slumping into a chair after a long day, or the way your shoulders might slump forward when you're tired or discouraged.