spiral down
Circle while falling
Spiral down describes a worsening trajectory, often one that accelerates or feeds on itself.
A company's finances spiral down when losses lead to cuts that cause more losses.
Someone's mental health spirals down when depression deepens progressively.
The image is of circling descent—each revolution lower than the last: After the divorce, he spiraled down into addiction.
- descendMove to lower position
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
- corkscrewTool for opening bottles
- vortexRotating fluid column
- whirlpoolRotating water formation
decline · going downhill · tailspin · out of control · crash · sink · collapse · unravel · deteriorate · swirl · twist · helix · funnel · drain · circling the drain · dizzying · vertigo · falling
- declinedecline, in decline, decrease, downswing, on the decline
- downward motionsfall, drop, descend, plunge, sink
trajectory/progress
spiral downimprove
Raise in quality
recover · turn around · bounce back · get better · rally
spiral, down, spirals, spiraled, spiraling, spirally, downer, downs, downed