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.
The move sent stock markets in the U.S. and abroad into a tailspin, fueled recession fears and prompted some of Trump’s allies in the business community to speak out against the policy. Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 Trump's policies have rocked the dollar and the treasury yield, as well as sending the markets into a tailspin. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 Arminia had had five different coaches in 14 months and the drain of playing talent had left them in a tailspin. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 22 May 2025 The 30-plus other AGOA nations, many laden with heavy foreign debt, are in a similar tailspin, though some more than others. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 8 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailspin. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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!