fall off a cliff
Tumble down precipice
To fall off a cliff is literally to plunge from a steep rock face.
Figuratively, it describes a sudden, dramatic decline: Sales fell off a cliff after the recall.
The image emphasizes both the speed and severity of the drop—not a gradual slide but an abrupt plummet.
Stock prices, ratings, and performance can all fall off a cliff.
- plummetRapid downward descent
- precipitousExtremely steep, almost vertical
- plungeSudden steep descent
- sinkBasin with drain
- tumbleUncontrolled rolling descent
nosedive · hit the ground · abrupt · sudden · freefall · crash · steep · drop · fatal · collapse · decline · subside · vertigo · ledge · rapid · descend · stock market · rock bottom