Triangle Pattern
A triangle pattern forms when highs and lows converge toward a point — ascending, descending or symmetrical — showing a narrowing range before a breakout.
A triangle pattern forms when price swings get smaller and the trendlines around them come together. There are three main types: symmetrical, ascending and descending. Traders watch for a breakout, but triangles can break either way and can fail.
- Category
- Price Action
- Reading time
- 3 min
- Also called
- Symmetrical triangle, Ascending triangle, Descending triangle
- Updated
Triangles in plain words
A triangle forms when highs fall and lows rise, or when one side stays flat while the other slopes toward it.1
The price range keeps narrowing, so the shape on the chart looks like a triangle.1
You can't know which way a symmetrical triangle will break until the break actually happens.2
How to read a triangle
Find the touches
Find at least four turning points — two highs and two lows — before calling it a symmetrical triangle.2
Draw the lines
Connect the highs and the lows.
Name the type
Identify the type: an ascending triangle has a flat top and a rising bottom line.1
Check volume
Expect volume to shrink as the triangle develops and the range tightens.2
Wait for a close
Wait for a close beyond the boundary; an intraday poke doesn't count as a valid break.2
Project a target
For a target, take the pattern's widest height and add it to the breakout point.3
Worked examples
Example 1 — Ascending target
Target 68Hypothetical: resistance 60, widest point low 52, breakout at 60.
| Width | 60 − 52 = 8 |
| Target | 60 + 8 = 68 |
Adding the pattern's widest height to the breakout level gives the target.3
Example 2 — Intraday poke
No breakHypothetical: price trades at 61 but closes at 59.5.
| High | 61 |
| Close | 59.5 |
Price never closed beyond the line, so it wasn't a valid breakout.2
Example 3 — False break
−3.5Hypothetical: closes at 61, then falls to 56.
| Entry | 61 |
| Stop | 57.5 |
This was a false breakout: price broke out clearly and then reversed soon after.1
Triangle types
| Aspect | Symmetrical | Ascending |
|---|---|---|
| Upper line | Falling | Flat |
| Lower line | Rising | Rising |
| Usual read | Either way | Bullish |
| Break needed | Yes | Yes |
Where traders use them
Breakouts
Planning a Breakout.
Lines
Drawing a Trendline.
Targets
Setting a Take Profit.
Stops
Placing a Stop Loss inside the pattern.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Clear boundaries.
- Measured target.
- Common on all markets.
Disadvantages
- Direction unknown until the break.
- False breakouts are common.
- Lines are subjective.
- Targets are estimates.
Going deeper
Read as far as you need. Each level builds on the one before it.
Structure
Beginner
Triangles come from converging lines — falling highs with rising lows, or one flat side with the other sloping in.1
Volume and breaks
Intermediate
Shrinking volume during the pattern is normal, and a valid break needs a close beyond the boundary.2
Failure
Advanced
False breakouts are common: price can push clearly through a boundary and then turn back.1
Common mistakes
Guessing direction
Wait for the break.
Acting on wicks
Use closes.
Too few touches
Need at least four points.
No stop
Plan for failure.
Check your understanding
Test yourself before moving on. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Key points to remember
- Triangles are narrowing price ranges.
- Main types: symmetrical, ascending, descending.
- Direction is clear only after the break.
- Use closing breaks.
- False breakouts are common.
Frequently asked questions
Are triangles bullish?
How many touches?
Can a triangle fail?
Further learning
Sources
This article is written in our own words. The sources below support the specific facts, rules and figures marked with a number in the text. Links open the original publisher’s page.
- CMC Markets. Triangle chart patterns explained (opens in a new tab) Checked .
- StockCharts ChartSchool. Symmetrical Triangle (opens in a new tab) Checked .
- StockCharts ChartSchool. Ascending Triangle (opens in a new tab) Checked .
Read more elsewhere
- Trading Metrics (our sister site): Rectangles and Triangles (opens in a new tab)
Educational content, not financial advice. Examples use hypothetical prices and simplified costs; actual fees, margin rules and regulations vary by broker, market and country. Trading Metrics is our sister site, under the same ownership; we are not affiliated with any other publisher linked above. Last reviewed . Report an error or request a source credit.