Things start great, and then suddenly—boom!—everything begins to go downhill. Maybe it’s your grades after midterms or your favorite TV show after season three. The idiom go downhill perfectly captures that slow (or sometimes speedy) decline. In this post, we’ll explore its meaning, origin, and how you can use it naturally in conversation.
Meaning of “Go Downhill”
The idiom “go downhill” means to get worse, decline, or deteriorate in quality, condition, or performance. It’s often used when something starts off well but then gradually declines.
Here are its main shades of meaning:
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To worsen in quality or performance: “After the manager left, the company went downhill.”
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To weaken physically or mentally: “My grandfather’s health went downhill after the accident.”
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To lose success or popularity: “The band’s career went downhill after their second album.”
👉 In short: Go downhill means something is not as good as it used to be — it’s getting worse over time.
Origin of “Go Downhill”
The phrase “go downhill” comes from the simple idea of gravity and motion. When something goes downhill, it moves downward easily and often uncontrollably — much like how things deteriorate in life without much effort.
The figurative use of the phrase dates back to the 18th century, when it began to describe situations or conditions that were worsening. Before that, it was used literally in English since the 1500s, simply meaning to move down a slope.
So, the idiom evolved from a physical description (“rolling downhill”) to a metaphor for decline — a vivid way to show how things can quickly spiral downward once they lose momentum.
Examples in Sentences
Here are some ways go downhill appears in real life:
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After the new policy was introduced, customer satisfaction went downhill.
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My old laptop’s performance has really gone downhill over the past year.
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Their friendship started strong but went downhill after that big argument.
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The restaurant went downhill when the head chef left for another job.
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Ever since he stopped exercising, his energy levels have gone downhill.
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The movie started well, but the plot went downhill halfway through.
You’ll notice it fits both formal (business reports, news articles) and casual (daily conversations, gossip) contexts perfectly.
Similar Idioms or Phrases
Here are a few idioms that share the same sense of decline:
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Go south – To fail or deteriorate.
Example: “Our sales went south after the new competitor launched.” -
Take a turn for the worse – To suddenly become worse, especially about health or situations.
Example: “Her condition took a turn for the worse last night.” -
Fall apart – To break down emotionally, physically, or structurally.
Example: “The project fell apart due to poor planning.” -
Hit rock bottom – To reach the lowest possible point.
Example: “After losing his job, he felt like he’d hit rock bottom.”
Each phrase paints a vivid picture of things heading in a negative direction, much like go downhill.
Personal Insight
I’ve used go downhill countless times when describing situations in the classroom. For instance, a lesson that starts with enthusiasm can sometimes go downhill when students lose focus or energy. Still, it’s a good reminder that once something begins to decline, it’s not impossible to climb back up — with the right effort, anything can turn around.
Conclusion
The idiom “go downhill” reminds us how easily things can shift from good to bad — whether it’s a project, a friendship, or even a day that started out perfectly. It’s a versatile phrase that helps express decline in all areas of life.
Do you use go downhill in your everyday conversations? Share your examples in the comments — let’s keep the discussion rolling uphill!