tailspin

noun

tail·​spin ˈtāl-ˌspin How to pronounce tailspin (audio)
1
2
: a mental or emotional letdown or collapse
3
: a sustained and usually severe decline or downturn
stock prices in a tailspin

Examples of tailspin in a Sentence

Stock prices are in a tailspin. The team went into a tailspin and lost six straight games.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This sent the tribal council into a tailspin as the remaining players scrambled on who to vote out. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 Days later, Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, sending the already-faltering economy into a tailspin. Dan Alexander, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 As of Thursday, her edge sat at 1.7 points, a cumulative drop that may appear numerically minuscule but was enough to send some party members and operatives into a tailspin. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 About two decades ago, an economic tailspin plunged the country into deep debt and austerity, dwarfing Greeks’ employment prospects and leading to their emigration for better opportunities abroad. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tailspin 

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailspin was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near tailspin

Cite this Entry

“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailspin. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

tailspin

noun
tail·​spin ˈtā(ə)l-ˌspin How to pronounce tailspin (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on tailspin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!