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

Over that time an average of about 100 funds were liquidated each year, with 2009, the trough of a bear market, seeing the highest number.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

An IRA conversion is taxable at the value of the account converted, so a bear market is a great time to do it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

A close at or below that price, which is 20% below its Jan. 6 record close, would mean to many that the stock has entered a bear market.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The market’s biggest stocks are also on sale, with an index of the so-called Magnificent Seven tech giants now approaching bear market status, having fallen more than 17% from the all-time highs of late October.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 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 Butler, John James