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

“Things have mostly gone sideways since October but this is the first true bitcoin bear market we’ve seen since the ETFs launched,” said Seyffart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

While Hirsch said he does not expect stocks to fall into a bear market for that stretch this year, he said the market could be at least “sideways choppy.”

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

If people get hosed by, say, a bear market in stocks, taxpayers will end up on the hook supporting them anyway.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

MarketWatch: Most financial advice says to never sell in a bear market.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

It was definitely a bear market for UFO's.

From The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Ruppelt, Edward J.