downward spiral
noun
: a situation in which something continuously decreases or gets worse
Her life was in a downward spiral as she battled depression and addiction.
Examples of downward spiral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instead of seeing improvement after the prescription of each medication, the suit describes a downward spiral for Lindsay who initially sought treatment after becoming anxious when Patrick returned to work following the birth of their third child and she was left at home with her three kids.
—
Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Away from this airport stronghold, populations are so small and habitats so eroded that the snakes would be in a downward spiral of inbreeding and population decline if left to their own devices.
—Pepper St. Clair, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Among the positives, Cronenworth reversed what had been a downward spiral against left-handed pitching.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
This moment begins the show’s downward spiral into the absurd.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downward spiral
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.
Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026
Away from this airport stronghold, populations are so small and habitats so eroded that the snakes would be in a downward spiral of inbreeding and population decline if left to their own devices.
—Pepper St. Clair, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
Among the positives, Cronenworth reversed what had been a downward spiral against left-handed pitching.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
This moment begins the show’s downward spiral into the absurd.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downward spiral
Cite this Entry
“Downward spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward%20spiral. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
