What does freefall mean?
Freefall describes motion through the air under the influence of gravity alone, with no parachute, engine, or other force supporting or slowing a body — the state experienced by a skydiver between leaving the aircraft and opening the chute, or by any object simply dropped from height. In physics, it denotes idealised motion acted on by gravity alone. The word has also taken on a powerful figurative life: when share prices, currencies, economies, or reputations collapse rapidly and apparently without limit, commentators routinely say they have gone into freefall. This extended use gives the term dramatic connotations of helplessness and acceleration beyond control. Commonly written either as the single compound 'freefall' or as the traditional two-word 'free fall', it appears both in everyday speech and in scientific contexts, and its vivid imagery makes it a staple of journalism whenever something seems to be plummeting toward an uncertain landing.
Descent through the air under gravity alone, without propulsion or the support of a parachute or other device; figuratively, a rapid and uncontrolled decline.
"The stock market was in freefall by the close of trading."
Frequently used figuratively in financial and political reporting.
To fall, or cause something to be in a state, of freefall; figuratively, to decline rapidly and uncontrollably.
"House prices continued to freefall throughout the quarter."
Usually used intransitively in the figurative sense, often of markets or values.
Rarely used in the plural; freefall is almost always treated as an uncountable state or process.
"The economy lurches between brief recoveries and renewed freefalls."
A skydiver in freefall can hit over 120 mph — yet feels weightless the whole way down, because there's nothing to push against.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does freefall come from?
Freefall is an English compound formed from the native words 'free' (from Old English 'frēo', meaning not enslaved or constrained) and 'fall' (from Old English 'feallan', meaning to drop). It arose in English, most plausibly in the context of aviation and parachuting in the early twentieth century, when the phrase 'free fall' entered regular technical use. Because both elements are Germanic, related forms appear naturally in other Germanic languages rather than through shared borrowing from Latin or Greek.
How freefall is actually used
Both noun and verb uses are informal to neutral in register. The figurative sense (markets, economies, reputations) is extremely common in financial journalism and often appears in the phrase 'go into freefall'. The two-word form 'free fall' is equally acceptable, particularly in technical writing about physics and parachuting.
Easily confused with freefall
"Freefall" as a single compound word and the two-word "free fall" mean the same thing; the two-word form is more traditional, while "freefall" is the common modern compound spelling.