downward spiral

American

[doun-werd spahy-ruhl] / ˈdaʊn wərd ˈspaɪ rəl /

noun

a continuous, usually rapid negative trend, especially one with a repeated and worsening cycle of events or states.

The more I doubted myself, the more confused I became, in a vicious downward spiral.

Etymology

Origin of downward spiral

First recorded in 1870–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That said, some analysts believe that software stocks have been caught in an AI-driven downward spiral that won’t last.

From MarketWatch

Then, Santos-Aviles’ husband said in an interview that he’d caught wind of the affair and confronted Gonzales about it, after which Gonzales “black-sheeped” his wife at work, sending her into a downward spiral.

From Slate

"To be honest with you, it is an isolated profession as well and all this has led to a downward spiral," she said.

From BBC

Shares of Oracle have been stuck in a downward spiral for months, but the tide may finally turn for the software and cloud giant.

From MarketWatch

If these firms are forced to sell their bitcoin holdings to stay afloat, it could flood the market and amplify a downward spiral in prices.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023