tailspinning
Losing control rapidly
Tailspinning describes something in a tailspin—the rapid, uncontrolled descent of an aircraft, or figuratively, a situation deteriorating quickly and chaotically.
The word usually appears in progressive form to emphasize ongoing decline: The company was tailspinning after the scandal broke.
Her grades were tailspinning by midterm.
Curve winding around center
- nosediveSudden steep descent
- plummetRapid downward descent
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
descent · recovery · altitude · airspeed · control · rudder · pitch · yaw
Unsteady from shock
- whirlingRotating swiftly in place
- dizzySensation of spinning
- vertigoSensation of spinning
- disorientedLacking sense of direction
unsteady · off-balance · confused · bewildered · dazed · muddled · discombobulated · lightheaded
Process of coming undone
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- spiralCurve winding around center
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
anxiety · overwhelm · distress · crisis · collapse · frantic · desperate · disintegrating
Falling steeply and fast
- collapsingFalling inward suddenly
- crashingColliding with force
- nosedivingDescending steeply and rapidly
- deterioratingBecoming progressively worse
tanking · imploding · freefalling · cratering · bottoming-out · tumbling · sinking · dropping
spiral
Curve winding around center
freefall · descent · recovery · altitude · airspeed · control · rudder · pitch · yaw · maneuver
reeling
Unsteady from shock
disoriented · unsteady · off-balance · confused · bewildered · dazed · muddled · discombobulated · lightheaded · giddy
unraveling
Process of coming undone
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- spiralCurve winding around center
panic · anxiety · overwhelm · distress · crisis · collapse · frantic · desperate · disintegrating · derailing
plummeting
Falling steeply and fast
- collapsingFalling inward suddenly
- crashingColliding with force
- nosedivingDescending steeply and rapidly
deteriorating · tanking · imploding · freefalling · cratering · bottoming-out · tumbling · sinking · dropping · sliding
tailspinningascending
Moving upward
climbing · rising · leveling off · gaining altitude · pulling up
tailspinningstabilizing
Making firm or constant
recovering · rebounding · thriving · flourishing · turning around
tailspin, tailspins, tail, tails, tailed, tailing, tailor, spin, spins