bear market

American  

[bair mahr-kit] / ˈbɛər ˈmɑr kɪt /

noun

Stock Exchange.

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

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bear market Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of bear market

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

“The vibes are very good. The energy is pretty high. If this is a bear market, I’ll take it.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Bitcoin has been trying to claw its way out of a bear market, but trading data suggest investors aren’t rushing in to help.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

Four years ago, when crypto prices plummeted and stocks fell into a bear market, the brokerage’s younger users stopped trading in droves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

According to Krinsky, moves of this magnitude typically occur at the end of a bear market, or near the peak of a bull market.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

The house had a large bull clientèle, which was holding its stocks, and not selling on a bear market.

From The Value of Money by Anderson, Benjamin M.