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

The Dodgers found their way out of their recent downward spiral, though, and that was enough of a relief for their new ace and back-to-back Cy Young winner. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

As a field producer and director on four McDonnell shows, Testa had a front-row seat to Bellum’s rapid downward spiral. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026

In this downward spiral, an unexpected encounter potentially opens a new chapter in his life. — Ed Meza, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026

How the trial has gone so far Last week, Patrick Clancy testified about his ex-wife’s downward spiral, full of hospital visits and about a dozen medications to treat her insomnia, anxiety and depression. — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for downward spiral

• antiviral
• retroviral
• adenoviral
• antiretroviral
• chiral
• viral