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
Inside America’s Prisons and Jails Failures in Mental Health: The downward spiral of one inmate, Markus Johnson, shows the larger failures of American prisons to care for the mentally ill.
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Christopher Damien, New York Times, 18 May 2024
Then again, the whole movie is designed as a (deceptive) downward spiral.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2024
Although its dire financial situation isn’t the result of a single misstep, executives at the company that owns a large stake in the chain, as well as industry experts, said that miscalculations over the popularity of the all-you-can-eat shrimp special accelerated the company’s downward spiral.
—Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
The suspects were charged and McIntyre testified at their trial, an agonizing experience that her mother said sent her on a downward spiral.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
The downward spiral of one inmate, Markus Johnson, shows the larger failures of the nation’s prisons to care for the mentally ill.
Credit...
—Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Sulton cast the blame for the agency's downward spiral on Patrick Kirsenlohr, the now former finance director, who was terminated by Hinton earlier this month.
—Cary Spivak, Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024
Ridership was stagnant prior to the pandemic, and is now at about 70% of pre-pandemic levels — one of the weakest recoveries in the nation — creating a financial crisis for Bay Area transit agencies that threaten a future downward spiral of cuts.
—Ian Griffiths, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
So when certain visitors feel unwelcome upon arrival, that can increase hostility and create a downward spiral.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
Christopher Damien, New York Times, 18 May 2024
Then again, the whole movie is designed as a (deceptive) downward spiral.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2024
Although its dire financial situation isn’t the result of a single misstep, executives at the company that owns a large stake in the chain, as well as industry experts, said that miscalculations over the popularity of the all-you-can-eat shrimp special accelerated the company’s downward spiral.
—Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
The suspects were charged and McIntyre testified at their trial, an agonizing experience that her mother said sent her on a downward spiral.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024
The downward spiral of one inmate, Markus Johnson, shows the larger failures of the nation’s prisons to care for the mentally ill.
Credit...
—Glenn Thrush Carlos Javier Ortiz, New York Times, 5 May 2024
Sulton cast the blame for the agency's downward spiral on Patrick Kirsenlohr, the now former finance director, who was terminated by Hinton earlier this month.
—Cary Spivak, Journal Sentinel, 26 Apr. 2024
Ridership was stagnant prior to the pandemic, and is now at about 70% of pre-pandemic levels — one of the weakest recoveries in the nation — creating a financial crisis for Bay Area transit agencies that threaten a future downward spiral of cuts.
—Ian Griffiths, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
So when certain visitors feel unwelcome upon arrival, that can increase hostility and create a downward spiral.
—Patrik Jonsson, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'downward spiral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near downward spiral
Cite this Entry
“Downward spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward%20spiral. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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