The economic headwinds have been increasing in intensity during the past two years as bad news keeps cracking the global money trail.

Reporters, struggling to describe increasing dead end roads to prosperity, use the phrase economic headwinds around 400 times a month compared with 100 in 2010.

Two years ago, they were using “green shoots” of recovery more often, but that optimism shrivelled from root rot. Today, economic headwinds is the phrase of choice.

“Expedia shrugged off economic headwinds that have pestered rivals to report better-than-expected third-quarter results. . . ” (Dow Jones News Service, October 26)

“British Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the data but warned against complacency amid global economic headwinds.” (The Statesman, October 26)

“Ted Kennedy, who co-owns two pubs in Arundel and Winchester. . . said inns were better insulated from the economic headwinds.” (The Financial Times, October 23)

“Global economic headwinds from a slowing Chinese economy and a recession in Europe have led other central banks in Asia to focus on boosting growth.” (Reuters News, October 25)

Cliché of the Week appears in The Australian newspaper Mondays. Chris Pash’s book, The Last Whale , a true story set in the 1970s about Australia’s last whaling station and the activists who fought to close it, was published by Fremantle Press in 2008.