Going Downhill.
English
idiom
Getting worse or declining.
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Getting worse or declining.
Trusted by1M+English learners & teachers worldwide
Getting worse and worse as time passes.
When something is going downhill, its quality or condition keeps dropping.
The longer it goes on, the harder it is to turn around.
"Going South"
—
Going wrong or failing — going downhill implies a gradual decline; going south can be more sudden
"On the Decline"
—
More formal — going downhill feels more colloquial and suggests a visible, observable slide
"Going Downhill"
—
Gradually worsening or deteriorating in quality, condition, or performance
Customer satisfaction scores are dropping for the third quarter in a row.
It's been going downhill since we changed the support process. We need to revisit that decision.
I'm worried about my dad. He seems different lately.
I've noticed too. Things seem to be going downhill slowly. Have you spoken to his doctor?
When did you realize the restaurant was in trouble?
Gradually. Tables emptying earlier, fewer bookings. By the time we admitted it was going downhill, it was too late.
