TAILSPIN Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

tailspin

noun

ˈtāl-ˌspin

Definition of tailspin

as in breakdown

a mental or nervous collapse the pressures of his job nearly caused him to go into a tailspin

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tailspin Monday’s announcement sent logistics stocks in a tailspin, with GXO shares plummeting more than 17 percent during the day. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 May 2026 As injuries to their pitching staff pile up and players desperately try to pull themselves out of a tailspin, the Chicago Cubs sent Jordan Wicks out to the mound Tuesday night. — Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 27 May 2026 This sense of optimism fluctuated significantly until June 2023, when the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Biden’s first attempt at relieving student loan debt sent public opinion into a tailspin. — Paxton Honerkamp, CNBC, 2 July 2026 Doncic trade still reverberating as Mavs hit reset Kidd's tenure took a sharp downturn after the Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers following their NBA Finals run, a franchise‑altering move that sent the organization into a tailspin. — Doug Myers, CBS News, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tailspin

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tailspin

breakdown

Noun

Janet, meanwhile, is having the kind of emotional breakdown that necessitates producer intervention.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 July 2026
To help identify which aspects to comment on, Ginexi provides a helpful breakdown of the different sections of the OMB’s proposal.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026

Definition of breakdown

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tails (off)

tailspin

tailspins

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“Tailspin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tailspin. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of tailspin

noun

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