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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• bearishly adverb
• bearishness noun

Etymology

Origin of bearish

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

Example Sentences

Activist short-seller Carson Block has turned bearish on corporate credit, arguing the advent of artificial intelligence will lead to severe job displacement and the economic repercussions of this will be negative on credit spreads.

From MarketWatch

Because the timing of labor market displacement is so uncertain, Muddy Waters recommends using derivative exposure to take a bearish view on corporate credit.

From The Wall Street Journal

On its daily chart, it broke below a bearish descending triangle pivot below $41.50 last Friday.

From Barron's

There’s also the matter of a bearish “death cross” pattern that appeared on March 25.

From MarketWatch

Stocks have fallen so much since the start of the Iran war that Wall Street’s most bearish target now implies nearly a double-digit gain by the end of 2026.

From Barron's

Related Words

• coarse
• cruel
• hard
• harsh
• nasty
• raw
• tough
• unpleasant
• unpolished
• violent