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

Example Sentences

That gummed up credit markets, tanked the value of money-market funds, and sent global stock markets into a tailspin.

From Barron's

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

This seemed unlikely on April’s “Liberation Day,” when new tariffs sent markets into a tailspin.

From The Wall Street Journal

After recovering from a brief emotional tailspin, Noonan knocked out the script for “The Shape of Something Squashed” — then directed and acted in the film.

From Los Angeles Times

To be sure, there was no obvious villain, like a geopolitical shock or tariff threats, sending the market into a tailspin this week.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• plunge
• slide