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 rejection sends Frankenstein’s monster into a tailspin of isolation and misery. Jon Michael Varese, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2025 This frame borrows from Bernhard’s tailspin of a novel, set entirely in a narcissist’s armchair. Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025 The president's proclamation has sent hundreds of thousands of workers into a tailspin. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025 But because of a costly walk and a bad matchup, the Guardians padded their lead and sent the Tigers further into a tailspin. Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 Sep. 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 2 Oct. 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
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