Synonyms

bear market

American

[bair mahr-kit] / ˈbɛər ˈmɑr kɪt /

noun

Stock Exchange.

a financial market characterized by investment prices that are falling or that are forecast to fall.

bear market Cultural

A market, especially a stock market, characterized by falling prices; the opposite of a bull market.

Etymology

Origin of bear market

First recorded in 1870–75

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.

See Examples For:

bear market

By looking for the mirror opposite of a bear market, investors therefore may remain invested far beyond what turns out to be the final top.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

“I worry about healthcare, long-term care, inflation, a long bear market and living to 95.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026

That bubble popped in early 2000, leading to an eight-month recession in 2001 and a three-year bear market.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

You can certainly believe that a bear market is imminent.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

It refers to a person who believes that the market value of stocks will decline, and a bear market is a declining market.

From Successful Stock Speculation by John James Butler

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