ups and downs

plural noun

1. rises and falls of fortune; good and bad times:

   Every business has its ups and downs.

ups and downs

plural noun

1. alternating periods of good and bad fortune, high and low spirits, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of ups and downs¹

First recorded in 1650–60

Idioms and Phrases

Good times and bad times, successes and failures, as in We've had our ups and downs but things are going fairly well now . This term was first recorded in 1659.

Example Sentences

He has had many ups-and-downs, but his motto has been, "Try and continue trying and you will succeed at last."

From Project Gutenberg

He has shared the ups-and-downs of frontier struggles, always a faithful supporter of the Methodist church.

From Project Gutenberg

All arbitrary goings to-and-fro, all idle fancies, all accidental ups-and-downs of emotion must be forbidden in the same way.

From Project Gutenberg