downward vs down spiral

Both "downward" and "down spiral" are correct phrases, but they are used in different contexts. "Downward" is an adverb that describes a direction or movement going downwards. On the other hand, "down spiral" is a noun phrase that describes a continuous decrease or decline in a situation.

Last updated: March 27, 2024 • 487 views

downward

The word "downward" is a correct adverb used to describe a direction or movement going downwards.

Use "downward" when you want to describe something moving or pointing in a downward direction.

Examples:

The plane started its downward descent.
The graph shows a downward trend in sales.
She looked downward to avoid making eye contact.
The river flows downward towards the valley.
The temperature is trending downward as winter approaches.

Show examples from the web [+]

I noted a slight downward trajectory.
No sense of a downward trajectory.
This would bring the debt back on a downward path.
- No sense of a downward trajectory.
Except the wife had diagonal cuts downward and the husband's were horizontal.
And the point of the triangle then continued downward, transecting the carotid.
You should move your hands downward.
Negative values denote downward inclination (see Figure).
Dipped-beam downward inclination of a category M1 vehicle
Yet when eating, you kept the fish downward.
It was a single downward blow that crushed the front of his skull.
The wood taken from Sergeant Wooten's palm was snapped at a downward angle.
These figures represent substantial downward revisions relative to the previous ECB staff projections for 2008 and 2009 published in September.
The downward adjustment for 2005 reflects mainly a carry-over effect from the weaker than expected fourth quarter of 2004.
The multidirectional fractures on the skull are consistent with a tire's downward vertical force.
These downward adjustments do not affect projects in connection with regions bordering on the candidate countries.
This will therefore lead to a downward alignment of consumer policy throughout the European Union.
The value of this indicated downward inclination shall be defined in accordance with paragraph 6.3.6.1.2.2.
For measuring purposes, downward facing flanges shall be ignored.

Alternatives:

descending
falling
sinking
dropping
lowering

down spiral

The phrase "down spiral" is correct and is used to describe a continuous decrease or decline in a situation.

Use "down spiral" when you want to convey the idea of a situation worsening or deteriorating over time.

Show examples from the web [+]

And I've fallen down that spiral myself before -
Prominent family falls into disrepute, scion spirals down.
Prominent family falls into disrepute, -Scion spirals down...
And when you went down that spiral staircase, you crossed a threshold, and those memories are locked deep in your mind, but you will be able to unlock them.
And I've fallen down that spiral myself before - Literally.
There's no need to go down a keshame spiral.
We will have a situation which spirals down towards ever meaner and more limited national legislation and application in the different countries which receive refugees.
So if we imagine a section of our infinite universe - and so I've put down four spiral galaxies, OK -
Remember they kicked me out for tripping and falling all the way down the spiral?
A long time ago, people thought that maybe an elliptical galaxy eventually collapses down into a spiral... or maybe eventually spirals all come together... and form an elliptical.
It's a spiral structure, it moves up and down.
It's a spiral structure, so it moves up and-down.
They will gravitationally interact... changing their direction and motion. Eventually, the merged spirals will settle down... to become an elliptical galaxy.
But, you know, we can either be down and depressed about it and make a spiral of our past mistakes or we can focus on the surfboard company.
And time itself is winding down in a kind of a spiral that's going faster and faster.
Demand needs to be created in order to encourage growth and keep unemployment down, so that the kind of downward spiral which occurred in the 1930s can be prevented.
As a result, we are at risk of finding ourselves in a downward spiral, where the citizens' quality of life is pulled down with it.
With her eyes set down she peeled the apples skin into a perfect spiral
You and your voice, no one defends you when others don't understand you're special, you don't fall into the facile spiral dragging others down

Alternatives:

downward spiral
negative trend
decline
downturn
degradation

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downward vs down spiral

downward

down spiral

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