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.

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

Someone offering you a higher fixed rate of interest on bonds, at a moment when the economy is in free fall, is someone offering you free money.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 24, 2025

An economy that had been showing tiny signs of life not long ago is in a free fall, predicted to contract 3% in 2026 with inflation to hit 682%, said the International Monetary Fund.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

But gifted playwrights know how to read the signs of a society in free fall.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

The carriage ride to the hospital was an hour-long free fall.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros