bearish

adjective

bear·​ish ˈber-ish 

1

: resembling a bear in build or in roughness, gruffness, or surliness

a bearish man

2

a

: marked by, tending to cause, or fearful of falling prices (as in a stock market)

bearish investors

b

: pessimistic

bearishly adverb

bearishness noun

Synonyms of bearish

• hopeless
• cynical
• pessimistic
• negative

Examples of bearish in a Sentence

The market has been bearish lately.

some studio execs are bearish about this summer's box office

Recent Examples on the Web

However, options traders remain bearish, reflected in a high put/call ratio, creating a complex outlook for MRNA. — Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

This week, gold defied the bearish case to consolidate above the important $4,000 per ounce level. — Sean Conlon,hugh Leask,justina Lee,sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

The surge in short interest coincides with a decidedly bearish sentiment creeping into what had been a relentlessly bullish AI trade. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bearish

• cherish
• farish
• garish
• perish
• squarish
• nightmarish