Synonyms

go south

Idioms

Deteriorate or decline, as in The stock market is headed south again. This expression is generally thought to allude to compasses and two-dimensional maps where north is up and south is down. However, among some Native Americans, the term was a euphemism for dying, and possibly this sense led to the present usage. [Slang; first half of 1900s] Also see go west.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s intimidating to see how much you spend, but truly understanding your habits is the only way to build a smart financial plan that survives when things go south.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Despite those efforts, Israeli officials assess that hundreds of elite Hezbollah fighters were able to go south of the Litani River and join up with other Hezbollah units there after the war with Iran began.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

That will be a problem if things go south.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

When things go south, they get drawn in deeper — Cane, reluctantly, and Harlan, almost enthusiastically.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2025

They had to take a train north to Birmingham, which they reached by lunchtime, and then go south to Worcester, where they arrived in late afternoon.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

go south

Example Sentences

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