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
The whole thing has thrown life into an existential tailspin, and turned his status as Ryder’s go-to guy into a thing of the past.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
The Chiefs traded Hill two seasons ago, something that was supposed to send them into reloading mode, if not a full rebuild or even a tailspin.
—Arnie Stapleton, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024
West dropped out of the public eye for months following his career tailspin before appearing on stage again for the first time in August alongside Travis Scott in Rome.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
At times, the bleakness of the album can seem overwhelming—a dizzying nihilistic tailspin.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
The actor and musician, who was on hand to co-host the Academy’s official pre-Oscars red carpet show, arrived dressed in Chopard diamonds and a black Vera Wang couture gown that skimmed her growing baby bump—a look that, naturally, sent the internet into a tailspin.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
Los Angeles won its third straight following a blowout loss to Buffalo last week that threatened to send the Kings into a tailspin.
—Will Graves, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
The Kings won their third straight following a 7-0 blowout loss to Buffalo last week that threatened to send them into a tailspin.
—Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024
None of his recent films have made a huge amount of money, but he is once again being well reviewed, appearing on talk shows, and working with larger budgets and big studios after a career tailspin that felt potentially terminal.
—Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024
The Chiefs traded Hill two seasons ago, something that was supposed to send them into reloading mode, if not a full rebuild or even a tailspin.
—Arnie Stapleton, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024
West dropped out of the public eye for months following his career tailspin before appearing on stage again for the first time in August alongside Travis Scott in Rome.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
At times, the bleakness of the album can seem overwhelming—a dizzying nihilistic tailspin.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
The actor and musician, who was on hand to co-host the Academy’s official pre-Oscars red carpet show, arrived dressed in Chopard diamonds and a black Vera Wang couture gown that skimmed her growing baby bump—a look that, naturally, sent the internet into a tailspin.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
Los Angeles won its third straight following a blowout loss to Buffalo last week that threatened to send the Kings into a tailspin.
—Will Graves, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
The Kings won their third straight following a 7-0 blowout loss to Buffalo last week that threatened to send them into a tailspin.
—Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2024
None of his recent films have made a huge amount of money, but he is once again being well reviewed, appearing on talk shows, and working with larger budgets and big studios after a career tailspin that felt potentially terminal.
—Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tailspin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near tailspin
Cite this Entry
“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailspin. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
tailspin
noun
tail·spin
ˈtā(ə)l-ˌspin
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