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

In its last quarter, Disney saw its profitability fall below expectations despite record revenue at several of its segments, largely due to higher costs, which sent the stock into a tailspin.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

The conflict has mushroomed to draw in nations around the Middle East, sending energy markets into a tailspin and threatening to torpedo the global economy.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Supply-chain shocks and economic downturns could send every memory-maker into a tailspin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

With crypto becoming easier to buy than ever, and Strategy’s stock in a tailspin, that spell now appears to be breaking as the market questions whether this middleman deserves to exist at all.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2026

When I slid on the lid, it went into a tailspin, throwing itself against the glass over and over with pops and clicks, reminding me of the hail that landed sometimes on the windows.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Related Words

• plunge
• slide