bear market: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Technical, Financial
Quick answer
What does “bear market” mean?
A prolonged period of declining stock prices, typically by 20% or more from recent highs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A prolonged period of declining stock prices, typically by 20% or more from recent highs.
A market condition characterized by pessimism, widespread selling, and falling asset values across a broad sector, not limited to equities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Spelling and financial reporting conventions are identical.
Connotations
Same strong negative financial connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Identical high frequency in financial contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “bear market” in a Sentence
[The/This] bear market [lasted/continued/deepened]Investors [are in/face/fear] a bear market.The market [entered/ became/ turned into] a bear market.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bear market” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The FTSE 100 is bearing today.
- The market beared heavily on mining shares.
American English
- The S&P 500 is bearing this quarter.
- Tech stocks are beginning to bear.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Central term in financial news and analysis to describe adverse market conditions.
Academic
Used in economics and finance papers to categorize and analyse market cycles.
Everyday
Used by informed general public discussing the economy or their investments.
Technical
Precise definition (e.g., 20%+ drop from a high) used by traders and analysts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bear market”
- Using 'bear market' to describe a single bad day (it's a prolonged trend).
- Confusing 'bear' with 'bare'.
- Misspelling as 'beer market'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There's no fixed duration, but historically they average about 9-10 months, though some can last years.
A bull market, which is a prolonged period of rising prices.
The term originates from the way a bear attacks—swiping its paws downward—symbolizing falling prices.
No, a 10% drop is usually called a 'correction'. A bear market is typically defined as a decline of 20% or more.
A prolonged period of declining stock prices, typically by 20% or more from recent highs.
Bear market is usually formal, technical, financial in register.
Bear market: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbeə ˌmɑː.kɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈber ˌmɑːr.kɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't try to catch a falling knife (in a bear market).”
- “The bears are in control.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A BEAR swipes its paw DOWNWARDS, just like prices fall in a BEAR market.
Conceptual Metaphor
MARKET IS AN ANIMAL (bear for down, bull for up). DIRECTION IS VERTICAL (down = bad).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a bear market?