free fall

NOUN

rapid decline or descent

Synonyms

WEAK

collapse decline dive drop nosedive plummet plummeting plunge sag slump

Antonyms

WEAK

upturn

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After touching an all-time high around $125,000 in October, bitcoin went into free fall, and its spectacular rally was matched by an equally dramatic decline.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

Not long after Sora 2 launched as a stand-alone, limited-access app in the fall, user growth went into total free fall, with downloads plunging by nearly 75 percent from their November peak.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Software and services stocks have been in free fall for weeks, dragging the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF to the lowest levels in nearly a year and more than 30% from its mid-September peak.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

By midday in New York, metals prices were in free fall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

I take the stairs two at a time, my clumsy feet stumbling twice, my hand gripping the railing to keep me from a free fall.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson