plummet

1 of 2

verb

plum·​met ˈplə-mət 

plummeted; plummeting; plummets

intransitive verb

1

: to fall perpendicularly

birds plummeted down

2

: to drop sharply and abruptly

prices plummeted

plummet

2 of 2

noun

1

: plumb

also : plumb line

2

: an abrupt drop : an instance of plummeting

a sharp plummet in prices

If in the final week of the season, the Mets were trying to stop a plummet off a cliff, they are now attempting to climb out of a dark, deep abyss …

—Judy Battista

Synonyms of plummet

Verb

• fall
• plunge
• decline
• tumble
• dip
• drop

Examples of plummet in a Sentence

Verb

The acrobat plummeted into the net.

The car plummeted to the bottom of the canyon.

The satellite plummeted into the ocean.

Stock prices plummeted 40 percent during the scandal.

The TV show has plummeted in the ratings.

Temperatures are expected to plummet this weekend.

The town's population plummets when the students leave for the summer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Massive, multi-ton blocks of salt can break away from the ceiling and plummet through the cavern, shearing off the vital steel extraction pipes hanging inside. — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Budget and meeting documents obtained by The Post show ticket revenue and fundraising plummeted even as leaders publicly touted a financial turnaround. — Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Noun

The thing about dysfunction and disappointment this dramatic is that the bar for acceptable achievement plummets. — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Without this shift, skills stagnate, adaptability plummets and teams fall behind competitors who prioritize ongoing development. — Cuong Nguyen Cao, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English plomet, from Anglo-French plumet, plomet, from plum lead, lead weight — more at plumb

First Known Use

Verb

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for plummet

• summit

Kids Definition

plummet

1 of 2 noun

plum·​met ˈpləm-ət 

1

: plumb entry 1

2

: plumb line

plummet

2 of 2 verb

: to fall straight down : plunge