: one that plunges: such as
a
: diver
b
: a reckless gambler or speculator
c(1)
: a sliding reciprocating piece driven by or against fluid pressure
especially
: piston
(2)
: a piece with a motion like that of a ram or piston
d
: a rubber suction cup on a handle used to free plumbing traps and waste outlets of obstructions
Examples of plunger in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Before theater seating opened, Mark Gibson kept us glued to his card deck, at one point finding the card a fellow guest chose by cutting the deck with the assistance of a tiny plunger.
—
Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Over in Ireland, Anantara The Marker Dublin invites guests to book wild swimming sessions where a private car will take them to the blustery Irish Sea to swim with a local seasoned polar plunger.
—Katie Lockhart, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024
Her writing regularly appears in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Slate, among other publications
Of course, there wasn’t a plunger.
—TIME, 12 Jan. 2024
And the entire thing will be hosted by Shelly Cline, TCS World Travel’s president, who is an avid plunger herself.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2024
This year's plungers braved relatively tame temperatures compared to many previous years, and many enjoyed time with friends and family in tents and at bonfires on the beach before and after the plunge.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
The 5-year-old looked nervously at her older brothers, scanning their faces for any sign of distress as needles were swiftly stuck into their upper arms, the syringe plungers pushed in and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine administered.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
One with just a little bit of humor about toilet plungers.
—Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024
The plungers are powered by an output shaft on the engine or from a motor.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 21 Feb. 2023
Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Over in Ireland, Anantara The Marker Dublin invites guests to book wild swimming sessions where a private car will take them to the blustery Irish Sea to swim with a local seasoned polar plunger.
—Katie Lockhart, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024
Her writing regularly appears in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Slate, among other publications
Of course, there wasn’t a plunger.
—TIME, 12 Jan. 2024
And the entire thing will be hosted by Shelly Cline, TCS World Travel’s president, who is an avid plunger herself.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2024
This year's plungers braved relatively tame temperatures compared to many previous years, and many enjoyed time with friends and family in tents and at bonfires on the beach before and after the plunge.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
The 5-year-old looked nervously at her older brothers, scanning their faces for any sign of distress as needles were swiftly stuck into their upper arms, the syringe plungers pushed in and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine administered.
—Megan Specia, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024
One with just a little bit of humor about toilet plungers.
—Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024
The plungers are powered by an output shaft on the engine or from a motor.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 21 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plunger.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near plunger
Cite this Entry
“Plunger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plunger. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
plunger
noun
plung·er
ˈplən-jər 
: one that plunges: as
a
: a device (as a piston in a pump) that acts with a plunging motion
b
: a rubber suction cup on a handle used to free plumbing traps and waste outlets of something blocking them
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