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

See Examples For:

bear market

What’s driving the rapid shift as South Korea’s bear market turns back into a bull.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

It has since rallied about 20 percent, putting it in a bear market.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

You also might need to tighten your belt and accept a lower annual payment some years if there’s a severe bear market early on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

The semiconductor index fell into a bear market despite “unprecedented” profit increases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Instead of the price of wheat going up, as it should have done at this season of the year, wheat has been forced down and down by a strong bear market.

From The Automobile Girls at Chicago or, Winning Out Against Heavy Odds by Laura Dent Crane