Recession shapes
![The Recession of 1953 in the United States is a classic V-shape. Percent Change From Preceding Period in Real Gross Domestic Product (annualized; seasonally adjusted); Average GDP growth 1947–2009Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis](/Images/godic/202501/09/1953_recession_in_US5844.jpg")
![The Recession of 1973–75 in the United States could be considered a U-shaped recession.[1] Percent Change From Preceding Period in Real Gross Domestic Product (annualized; seasonally adjusted); Average GDP growth 1947–2009Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis](/Images/godic/202501/09/1973-75_recession5844.jpg")
![The early 1980s recession in the United States is sometimes given as an example of a W-shaped recession. Percent Change From Preceding Period in Real Gross Domestic Product (annualized; seasonally adjusted); Average GDP growth 1947–2009Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis](/Images/godic/202501/09/Early-80s_recession5844.jpg")
![The Japanese asset price bubble led to a Lost Decade in Japan; this period has been characterized as an L-shaped recovery. Percent Change From Preceding Year in Real Gross Domestic Product; Average GDP growth 1950–2000Source: Penn World Tables](/Images/godic/202501/09/Japan's_asset_bubble5844.jpg")
Recession shapes are used by economists to describe different types of recessions. There is no specific academic theory or classification system for recession shapes; rather the terminology is used as an informal shorthand to characterize recessions and their recoveries.