tailspin

noun

tail·​spin ˈtāl-ˌspin 

1

: spin sense 2a

2

: a mental or emotional letdown or collapse

3

: a sustained and usually severe decline or downturn

stock prices in a tailspin

Synonyms

• breakdown
• crack-up
• nervous breakdown

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

His approach to trade – announcing abrupt and dramatic tariffs on certain imports, calling the duties off and later threatening to impose new ones – has thrown financial markets into a tailspin. —Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2025

The final ratings were the best for the Oscars since 23.6 million watched the 2020 Oscar 'cast, held about a month before the pandemic lockdown closed down the movie business and sent the industry into a tailspin. —David Bloom, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025

That sent stocks into a tailspin, with stocks seeing their worst week since September. —Sean Conlon, CNBC, 9 Mar. 2025

Trump imposed tariffs against Washington’s three biggest trading partners, drawing immediate retaliation from Mexico, Canada and China and sending financial markets into a tailspin. —Rob Gillies, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tailspin

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin
• pinyin

Kids Definition

tailspin

noun

tail·​spin ˈtā(ə)l-ˌspin 

: spin entry 2 sense 3