go downhill

Idioms and Phrases

Deteriorate, worsen, as in Ever since the recession began, the business has been going downhill . The figurative use of downhill for “decline” dates from the mid-1800s. Also see downhill all the way .

Example Sentences

"If I'm not eating properly then my chest will go downhill."

From BBC

‘We expect things to go downhill Wednesday night and through Thursday,” he said.

From New York Times

Justin Raisen, the 41-year-old L.A.-based producer who worked with Gordon on “The Collective,” noted that “Lots of careers go downhill with age, but there are also lots that go upward.”

From New York Times

The situation, she said, “broadened my whole perspective on how hard it is if you don’t have a home base, and how quickly it affects your mental health, how you can go downhill very quickly.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Just try to go create and go downhill, but we needed to crash because they were going to contest my shot. We were going to have a shot at a rebound and it worked out perfectly for us.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• decrease
• depreciate
• deteriorate
• diminish
• drop
• dwindle
• fail
• fall
• lower
• recede
• return
• sag
• shrink
• sink
• slide
• wane
• weaken
• worsen