tailspin
Uncontrolled downward spiral
A tailspin is an aircraft's steep, spiraling descent with the tail tracing circles above the nose—a dangerous loss of control.
The figurative use dominates: a rapid, uncontrolled decline or deterioration.
The company went into a tailspin after the scandal broke.
Her life was in a tailspin.
One word or two: tail spin.
Sudden structural failure
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
disaster · bankruptcy · recession · depression · downturn · turmoil · freefall · unraveling
Enclosed compartment or delay
- rudderPivoting stern blade
- aileronWing-mounted roll control
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
dive · altitude · airspeed · elevator · pilot · cockpit · aircraft · gyroscope
collapse
Sudden structural failure
catastrophe · disaster · bankruptcy · recession · depression · downturn · turmoil · freefall · unraveling · implosion
stall
Enclosed compartment or delay
recovery · dive · altitude · airspeed · elevator · pilot · cockpit · aircraft · gyroscope · throttle
panic
Uncontrollable sudden fear
hysteria · overwhelm · anxiety · distress · unraveling · despair · disarray · fluster · agitation · turmoil
vortex
Rotating fluid column
rotation · twirl · swirl · loop · helix · centrifugal · dizzying · gyration · whorl
- chaosmayhem, chaotic, pandemonium, bedlam, turmoil
- failingfail, fails, collapse, flop, bomb
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- instabilityinstability, unsteadiness, shakiness, wobbliness, precariousness
- slumpsslump, lull, losing streak, cold streak, rut
- out of controlwild, chaotic, unruly, unchecked, runaway
tailspincomposure
Emotional self-control
equanimity · calmness · serenity · self-possession · aplomb
tailspinlevel flight
Flight at constant altitude
controlled flight · ascent · climb · soar · glide
tailspinrecovery
Regaining what was lost
upswing · stabilization · turnaround · rebound · upturn