Definition of "ups and downs" [ups and downs]

• Alternating periods of good and bad fortune or spirits. (noun-plural)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "And my husband, Zenji, who has always been there through the hellish ups and downs of my health challenges and by being there has made all the difference."
• "For numerous examples of assemblers sharing ups and downs with suppliers, see Nishiguchi, “Strategic Dualism,” pp."
• "The ups and downs of raising a bipolar child : a survival guide for parents / Judith Lederman, Candida Fink."