spiral
spiral — noun
1. a line or object that curves in a continuous loop, moving gradually outward or i
a line or object that curves in a continuous loop, moving gradually outward or inward from a center as it circles.
Eleni drew a beautiful spiral on the cover of her maths notebook.
a + spiral
The staircase inside the old lighthouse was a narrow spiral made of stone.
spiral as a physical object
A spiral of smoke rose slowly from Noor's campfire into the night sky.
a + spiral + of + noun (substance)
The fern frond unrolled in a tight spiral as it grew toward the morning sun.
Beatrix traced the spiral pattern on the seashell with her finger.
spiral + noun (attributive)
- spiral staircase
- spiral pattern
- spiral shape
- spiral of smoke
- tight spiral
- in a spiral
- straight line
a line that does not curve at all
Grammar Patterns
a + spiral + of + noun
spiral + noun (attributive)
Usage Note
Often used as an attributive noun (e.g., spiral staircase, spiral pattern) to describe something that has this shape.
Common Mistakes
2. a process in which prices, costs, or conditions keep getting worse, with each ba
a process in which prices, costs, or conditions keep getting worse, with each bad event making the next one harder to stop or control.
The country's economy entered a downward spiral after the banks collapsed.
downward spiral
Mayumi warned that rising household debt would create a spiral that was very hard to break.
create + a + spiral
Once the violence began, the region fell into a spiral of conflict and fear.
fall into a spiral of + noun
The company was caught in a spiral of falling sales and rising costs.
Families in the village were trapped in a spiral of poverty and poor health.
trapped in a spiral of + noun
- downward spiral
- inflationary spiral
- vicious spiral
- spiral of violence
- enter a spiral
- caught in a spiral
- break the spiral
- vicious circle
a closely related idea where one problem causes another, which then makes the first problem worse; less directional than 'spiral'
- downward trend
a more neutral and gradual decline, without the sense of accelerating speed
- upturn
a positive change, moving toward improvement rather than decline
Grammar Patterns
a + spiral + of + noun
into/out of + a + spiral
Usage Note
Frequently used with 'downward' or 'inflationary' to specify direction. 'Vicious spiral' emphasises that each turn makes the situation worse.
Common Mistakes
3. a throw or kick of the ball, used in American football, that sends it rotating a
a throw or kick of the ball, used in American football, that sends it rotating along its longest line so it stays stable while flying.
Vikram threw a perfect spiral that sailed sixty metres down the field.
throw + a + perfect spiral
The quarterback's spiral cut cleanly through the wind and rain.
Nila caught the spiral with one hand and ran toward the end zone.
catch + a + spiral
Joon practised throwing tight spirals every afternoon after school.
tight spirals (plural)
- throw a spiral
- catch a spiral
- perfect spiral
- tight spiral
Grammar Patterns
throw/catch + a + spiral
Usage Note
This sense is specific to American football. In other contexts, a spiral throw or kick is simply a pass or punt that rotates on its axis for stability.
spiral — verb
1. to move or grow in a path that turns around a central point, gradually getting c
to move or grow in a path that turns around a central point, gradually getting closer or farther away with each turn — for example, how smoke rises from a fire or how a bird circles higher into the sky.
A flock of birds spiraled upward from the wheat field at dawn.
spiral + upward
The dead leaves spiraled slowly down from the oak tree onto the path.
spiral + down/around
Élise watched the helicopter spiral down toward the landing pad.
Smoke from Diego's cigarette spiraled into the cold morning air.
spiral + into + noun phrase
The paper airplane spiraled across the classroom before landing on the floor.
- spiral upward
- spiral downward
- spiral around
- spiral into the air
- spiral out
Grammar Patterns
spiral + [adverb/preposition]
spiral + up/down/around
Usage Note
Subject is usually something light or airborne — smoke, steam, leaves, birds, aircraft. The direction is indicated by an adverb: upward, downward, around, across.
Common Mistakes
2. if costs, prices, or rates spiral, they rise faster and faster, so that each inc
if costs, prices, or rates spiral, they rise faster and faster, so that each increase is larger than the one before it.
Food prices have spiraled since the drought destroyed most of the harvest.
[costs/prices] + have spiraled
Rent in the city center has spiraled over the past three years.
Eitan watched the cost of building materials spiral beyond his budget.
costs/prices + spiral + beyond/out of
Healthcare expenses continued to spiral, forcing many families to borrow money.
Energy prices spiraled after the government cut fuel supplies.
[noun] + spiraled + [time reference]
- prices spiral
- costs spiral
- spiral upward
- spiral out of control
- spiral beyond budget
- spiral higher
- plummet
describes a very fast fall, opposite of rising
Grammar Patterns
[costs/prices/rates] + spiral
spiral + upward/out of control
Usage Note
Subject is always a financial figure — cost, price, rate, expense, debt, rent. Can be used alone (prices spiraled) or with 'upward' for emphasis. To clarify direction, use 'spiral upward' (rise) or 'spiral downward' (fall).
Common Mistakes
3. if prices or costs spiral, they fall faster and faster, with each drop making th
if prices or costs spiral, they fall faster and faster, with each drop making the next drop bigger.
Oil prices spiraled downward as global demand fell sharply.
spiral + downward (falling)
The value of the local currency spiraled after the election crisis.
Property prices spiraled when the new highway bypassed the town.
[noun] + spiraled + [time clause]
Share prices spiraled lower as investors rushed to sell their stocks.
spiral + lower/downward
- spiral downward
- spiral lower
- prices spiral
- values spiral
- skyrocket
describes a very fast rise, opposite of falling
Grammar Patterns
[prices/costs] + spiral + downward/lower
Usage Note
Without 'downward' or 'lower', this sense risks confusion with sense 2 (rising). Most writers pair it with a downward direction word to avoid ambiguity.
4. when a difficult set of events spirals, each new problem makes the situation wor
when a difficult set of events spirals, each new problem makes the situation worse faster, and it becomes very hard to stop — for instance, a small disagreement that grows into a major conflict.
The argument between the two neighbours spiraled into a costly legal battle.
spiral + into + [worse state]
Rafael's debt problems spiraled out of control after he lost his job.
The protest spiraled into violence when police arrived with shields.
spiral + into + [negative outcome]
Political tensions spiraled quickly after the disputed election results.
Without fresh water supplies, the crisis in the camp spiraled each day.
situation + spiraled + [time reference]
- spiral into chaos
- spiral out of control
- spiral into violence
- spiral into crisis
- tensions spiral
- conflict spirals
- deteriorate
a more formal word that can describe gradual worsening without the accelerating, self-reinforcing sense of 'spiral'
- escalate
focuses on increase in intensity rather than a repeating loop; can be used for positive or negative situations
- improve
to become better, the opposite of spiraling into a worse state
Grammar Patterns
[situation] + spirals
spiral + into + [worse state]
spiral + out of control
Usage Note
Subject is typically an abstract situation — conflict, crisis, violence, debt, tension. The outcome is almost always negative. 'Spiral into' introduces the result; 'spiral out of control' emphasises loss of control.
Common Mistakes
5. used when someone's emotional or mental state steadily gets worse over time, oft
used when someone's emotional or mental state steadily gets worse over time, often ending in a crisis like serious depression or a breakdown.
After her mother died, Eleni began to spiral into a deep depression.
spiral + into + [mental state]
Diego's mental health spiraled when he stopped taking his medication.
The intense pressure caused the young athlete to spiral into severe anxiety.
cause + [person] + to spiral into + [state]
When Eitan's marriage ended, he spiraled into a depression that lasted months.
- spiral into depression
- spiral into anxiety
- spiral downward
- mental health spirals
- break down
focuses on the moment of collapse rather than the gradual worsening process
- slide
a gentler, slower decline; less dramatic than 'spiral'
Grammar Patterns
[person] + spirals
spiral + into + [mental state]
Usage Note
Subject is a person, not a situation. Frequently used in informal speech and mental-health discussions. Often paired with 'into' followed by a negative emotional state (depression, anxiety, despair).
Common Mistakes
spiral — adjective
1. having a form marked by curves that wind around a centre or axis, each turn set
having a form marked by curves that wind around a centre or axis, each turn set farther or closer — like a spring, a snail house, or the double helix of DNA.
Mayumi bought a spiral notebook for her chemistry class.
spiral notebook
The pasta had a spiral shape that held the sauce very well.
Brooke admired the spiral design carved into the wooden cabinet door.
spiral design
The galaxy photographed by the telescope had a beautiful spiral structure.
spiral structure
- spiral staircase
- spiral notebook
- spiral galaxy
- spiral pattern
- spiral shape
- spiral design
- straight
not curved or bent at all
Grammar Patterns
spiral + noun
Usage Note
Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Common patterns include 'spiral staircase', 'spiral notebook', 'spiral galaxy', and 'spiral pattern'.
Word family
- spiralingadjectiveB2
- spirallyadverbC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
A 'spiral' (noun/2) describes a repeating process where each turn makes the situation worse, and the speed of worsening increases — like rising debt that forces more borrowing, which creates more debt. A 'vicious circle' is very similar, but it emphasises the circular cause-and-effect (problem A causes B, which makes A worse) rather than the accelerating speed. A 'downward trend' is simply a general direction of falling or worsening, with no implication that each step causes or accelerates the next. A 'decline' is even broader — it describes any movement from a higher to a lower state, slow or fast. Use 'spiral' when you want to stress the accelerating, self-reinforcing nature of the collapse: 'The economy entered a downward spiral.' Use 'vicious circle' for the logical trap: 'It is a vicious circle: without a job you cannot pay off debt, but without paying off debt you cannot get a job.'
Common collocations
Etymology
'Spiral' entered English in the 1550s from the French word 'spirale', meaning a winding curve. The French term came from the Latin 'spira' (a coil, a twist), which the Romans borrowed from the Greek 'speira' (a coil, a wreath, a twist). The sense of a worsening situation that accelerates on itself — 'the spiral of violence' — developed in the 1920s, extending the physical shape metaphor to social and economic processes.