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

Major events during Scott’s second term have included the devastating March 31, 2023, tornado, the death of longtime city manager Bruce Moore and a downward spiral at the Little Rock housing authority. —Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 8 May 2026

My husband has been on a downward spiral for the last five years. —R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 8 May 2026

The violent attack marked a tragic and final chapter in Griffin’s downward spiral following his mother’s death in 2021. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026

Both of those events exacerbate Robby’s unexamined childhood traumas, and in season two, all of it should come together in a downward spiral extending across the whole shift. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for downward spiral

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