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Showing results for bearish. Search instead for bearishly.
Synonyms

bearish

American  
[bair-ish] / ˈbɛər ɪʃ /

adjective

  1. like a bear; rough, burly, or clumsy.

  2. Informal. grumpy, bad-mannered, or rude.

  3. Commerce.

    1. declining or tending toward a decline in prices.

    2. characterized by or reflecting unfavorable prospects for the economy or some aspect of it.

      a bearish market.
bearish British  
/ ˈbɛərɪʃ /

adjective

  1. like a bear; rough; clumsy; churlish

  2. stock exchange causing, expecting, or characterized by a fall in prices

    a bearish market
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • bearishly adverb
  • bearishness noun

Etymology

Origin of bearish

First recorded in 1735–45; bear 2 + -ish 1

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.

The dollar strengthened, but the U.S.-Iran cease-fire is bearish for the dollar, JPMorgan said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The Goldman trader said the stock rally can continue a bit longer, though as hedge funds transition from covering bearish bets on the stock market to buying single names that they have conviction on.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

The breakout also negated a bearish evening star, marked by a doji candle on March 26.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

But that’s as net leverage, the difference between their bullish and bearish bets — is around the 75th percentile — meaning they aren’t abandoning bets the market will fall.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

The bearish boy’s knuckles went white around his branch.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.