tailspin
noun
tail·spin
ˈtāl-ˌspin 
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
Not so lucky was Roy Wilson, a veteran of over 65 aerial sequences, who was killed during the filming of Columbia’s War Correspondent (1932) when his plane went into a tailspin at 2,000 feet and cracked up on the ground.
—
Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 14 June 2025
If that much oil supply was disrupted, prices would easily soar above $100 a barrel and the global economy would go into a tailspin.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Later, he’s sent into a tailspin after accidentally shooting a young boy, which complicates his undercover work within a sinister self-help cult.
—Bob Verini, Variety, 4 June 2025
Fears of a global government borrowing glut — likely to be compounded by the GOP's spending and tax-cuts bill — helped fuel an unusually weak auction for U.S. government bonds that sent markets into a tailspin Wednesday.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailspin
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.
Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 14 June 2025
If that much oil supply was disrupted, prices would easily soar above $100 a barrel and the global economy would go into a tailspin.
—Michael Lynch, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Later, he’s sent into a tailspin after accidentally shooting a young boy, which complicates his undercover work within a sinister self-help cult.
—Bob Verini, Variety, 4 June 2025
Fears of a global government borrowing glut — likely to be compounded by the GOP's spending and tax-cuts bill — helped fuel an unusually weak auction for U.S. government bonds that sent markets into a tailspin Wednesday.
—Rob Wile, NBC news, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tailspin
Cite this Entry
“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailspin. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tailspin
noun
tail·spin
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌspin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share