downward spiral

noun

: a situation in which something continuously decreases or gets worse
Her life was in a downward spiral as she battled depression and addiction.

Examples of downward spiral in a Sentence

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All of which led to even less conviction, less usage, an easier-to-predict arsenal for hitters and a seemingly never-ending downward spiral. Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026 The downward spiral will accelerate, and the damage may become irreversible. Randy Linville, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026 Advertisement Soon after that initial protest, dissatisfaction spread and the country entered a long downward spiral. Shahrnush Parsipur, Time, 3 Feb. 2026 With the benefit of hindsight, analysts and investors have blamed much of Kraft Heinz’s downward spiral on the brutal cost-cutting strategy imposed after the merger. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downward spiral

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“Downward spiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downward%20spiral. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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