tailspin
noun
tail·spin
ˈtāl-ˌspin 
1
2
: a mental or emotional letdown or collapse
3
: a sustained and usually severe decline or downturn
stock prices in a tailspin
Examples of tailspin in a Sentence
Stock prices are in a tailspin.
The team went into a tailspin and lost six straight games.
Recent Examples on the Web
Injuries to offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt sent the line into a tailspin.
—
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Geoffroy van Raemdonck, who has been tasked with navigating Saks Global out of its post-bankruptcy tailspin as its new CEO, serves as an adviser to the company.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
And now, the Royals find themselves in a tailspin.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
The Blue Jackets had sputtered along offensively for more than two weeks, scoring only 16 goals during a 2-7-1 tailspin that knocked them out of a playoff spot.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tailspin
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.
Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Geoffroy van Raemdonck, who has been tasked with navigating Saks Global out of its post-bankruptcy tailspin as its new CEO, serves as an adviser to the company.
—Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 21 Apr. 2026
And now, the Royals find themselves in a tailspin.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026
The Blue Jackets had sputtered along offensively for more than two weeks, scoring only 16 goals during a 2-7-1 tailspin that knocked them out of a playoff spot.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tailspin
Cite this Entry
“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailspin. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tailspin
noun
tail·spin
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌspin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
