free fall
noun
1
: the condition of unrestrained motion in a gravitational field
also
: such motion
2
a
: the part of a parachute jump before the parachute opens
b
: a rapid and continuing drop or decline
a free fall in stock prices
Examples of free fall in a Sentence
Sales were in free fall.
Recent Examples on the Web
The early-season free fall reached a new, unthinkable low on Tuesday night.
—
James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
In reality, the trek to Titanic requires a two-hour free fall in a submersible, plunging two and a half miles to the seafloor.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
The Maduro regime, having stolen the July 2024 presidential election and suppressed the democratic opposition by force, triggered a new wave of international sanctions that choked off oil revenues and sent the bolívar into free fall.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Five seconds of free fall Last week, the crew returned to Earth, enduring the jarring moment of reentry — the point at which the astronauts hit Earth’s thick inner atmosphere while their capsule was still traveling more than 30 times the speed of sound.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free fall
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James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
In reality, the trek to Titanic requires a two-hour free fall in a submersible, plunging two and a half miles to the seafloor.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 20 Apr. 2026
The Maduro regime, having stolen the July 2024 presidential election and suppressed the democratic opposition by force, triggered a new wave of international sanctions that choked off oil revenues and sent the bolívar into free fall.
—Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Five seconds of free fall Last week, the crew returned to Earth, enduring the jarring moment of reentry — the point at which the astronauts hit Earth’s thick inner atmosphere while their capsule was still traveling more than 30 times the speed of sound.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for free fall
Cite this Entry
“Free fall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20fall. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
free fall
noun
: the condition of unrestrained motion in a gravitational field
also
: such motion
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