down the tube

phrase

variants or down the tubes

: into a state of collapse or deterioration

Examples of down the tube in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For years, conservatives have been painting California as a progressive basket case, predicting that Democratic mismanagement would plunge its economy down the tubes and send rich people fleeing. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for down the tube

• hypercube
• nanotube
• phototube
• boob
• cube
• lube
• rube