tailspin

American  

[teyl-spin] / ˈteɪlˌspɪn /

noun

1. spin.

2. a sudden and helpless collapse into failure, confusion, or the like.

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verb (used without object)

tailspinned, tailspinning

1. to take or experience a sudden and dramatic downturn.

   After the mill closes, the local economy may tailspin.

tailspin British  

/ ˈteɪlˌspɪn /

noun

1. aeronautics another name for spin

2. informal a state of confusion or panic

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tailspin Idioms  

1. see go into a tailspin.

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Etymology

Origin of tailspin

First recorded in 1910–15; tail ¹ + spin

Explanation

When a plane goes into a tailspin, it rotates as it dives toward the ground. While pilots sometimes go into a deliberate tailspin, an unexpected tailspin would be terrifying. Because of the dramatic nature of an aircraft's tailspin, the word is also used figuratively to mean "a chaotic or panicked situation or state." Getting terrible news sends some people into a tailspin, while others are able to somehow stay calm. The word dates from about 1915, and the figurative meaning first appeared in print in the 1930s.

Example Sentences

Many families also said that they had been thrown into a tailspin, trying to arrange for weeks of childcare to cover the early finish.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Its after-effects have derailed her life, and an unexpected email invitation to attend a retirement party in France honoring her former lover sends her into a tailspin.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

The return of market volatility or a technological setback could immediately send the stocks into a tailspin.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

That was our headline on June 13, 2025, the first of the 12 days of war that sent Iran’s regime into a tailspin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

But the one thing that sends Buttercup into a tailspin is when I leave the light on but put it hopelessly out of his reach, high on the wall, beyond even his jumping skills.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• plunge
• slide