spiral Definition
- 1a curve that starts from a central point and gets progressively farther away as it revolves around the point
- 2a continuous increase or decrease in something, usually price or quality
Using spiral: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "spiral" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The staircase was built in a spiral shape.
Example
The airplane went into a death spiral.
Example
The company's profits have been on a downward spiral for the past year.
Example
The price of oil has been on an upward spiral.
spiral Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using spiral
Example
The company's financial situation has been in a downward spiral for the past few months.
Example
The protest spiraled out of control and turned into a violent riot.
spiral up
to increase rapidly
Example
The price of Bitcoin has been spiraling up in recent months.
Phrases with spiral
a type of galaxy characterized by a flat, rotating disk with a central bulge surrounded by spiral arms
Example
The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy.
a situation where a company or organization is in a continuous decline, leading to eventual failure
Example
The company went into a death spiral after several key executives resigned.
Example
I prefer using a spiral notebook for taking notes.
Origins of spiral
from Medieval Latin 'spiralis', meaning 'winding'
Summary: spiral in Brief
The term 'spiral' [ˈspaɪrəl] refers to a curve that starts from a central point and gets progressively farther away as it revolves around the point. It can also denote a continuous increase or decrease in something, such as price or quality. Examples include 'The staircase was built in a spiral shape' and 'The company's profits have been on a downward spiral for the past year.' Phrases like 'spiral galaxy' and idioms like 'downward spiral' extend the concept, while 'spiral notebook' denotes a specific object.
