dive

verb

\ ˈdīv

dived\ ˈdīvd

\ or dove\ ˈdōv

\; dived also dove; diving

Definition of dive

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst also : to execute a dive (see dive entry 2 sense 1a(1)) diving into the pool from the highest platform

b : submerge the submarine dived

2a : to come or drop down precipitously : plunge the temperature is diving

b : to plunge one's hand into something dived into his pocket

c of an airplane : to descend in a dive

3a : to plunge into some matter or activity she dove into her studies

b : to plunge or dash for some place diving for cover also : to lunge especially in order to seize something dove for the ball

transitive verb

1 : to thrust into something diving one's hands into the icy water

2 : to cause to dive dive a submarine

dive

noun

Definition of dive (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act or an instance of diving: such as

a(1) : a plunge into water executed in a prescribed manner practicing her dives

(2) nautical : a submerging of a submarine

(3) aviation : a steep descent of an airplane at greater than the maximum speed of horizontal flight

b : a sharp decline Stocks took a dive.

2 : a shabby and disreputable establishment (such as a bar or nightclub)

3 combat sports : a faked knockout —usually used in the phrase take a dive a boxer accused of taking a dive

4 football : an offensive (see offensive entry 1 sense 1c) play in which the ballcarrier plunges into the line (see line entry 1 sense 7f(2)) for short yardage

Other Words from dive Synonyms Dived vs. Dove: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about dive

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Synonyms for dive

Synonyms: Verb

pitch, plunge, sound

Synonyms: Noun

pitch, plunge

Dived vs. Dove: Usage Guide

Verb

Dive, which was originally a weak verb, developed a past tense dove, probably by analogy with verbs like drive, drove. Dove exists in some British dialects and has become the standard past tense especially in speech in some parts of Canada. In the U.S. dived and dove are both widespread in speech as past tense and past participle, with dove less common than dived in the south Midland area, and dived less common than dove in the Northern and north Midland areas. In writing, the past tense dived is usual in British English and somewhat more common in American English. Dove seems relatively rare as a past participle in writing.

Examples of dive in a Sentence

Verb

She dove into the swimming pool. The children like to dive off the boat. The competitors will be diving from the highest platform. Many people enjoy diving on the island's coral reefs. You can't dive in this water without a wet suit. The submarine can dive to 3,000 feet. The whale dove down to deeper water.

Noun

She practiced her dives for the competition. This will be my first dive on a coral reef. She has done dives all around the world. The crew of the submarine prepared for a dive. The jet rolled into a dive.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

On the heels of the success of miniseries The White Princess, Starz is once again diving into novelist Philippa Gregory's historical fiction with The Spanish Princess. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "How to Watch The Spanish Princess," 4 May 2019 His podcast will not only dive into Gypsy's psychological state, but her mother Dee Dee's as well. — Alexis Jones, Marie Claire, "The Gypsy Rose Blanchard Story Doesn't End With 'The Act'—There's Now a Podcast," 25 Apr. 2019 This month, the Tribune's Food & Dining team is diving into bar culture, exploring dive bars, neighborhood bars, wine bars, new cocktail spots and even bar food. — Grace Wong, chicagotribune.com, "Common Good aims to create new cocktail culture in western suburbs," 13 July 2018 Footage from a building’s security camera captured the officer getting out of his vehicle, then diving back in as an explosion happens behind him. — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, "Watch lightning strike dangerously close to this police officer," 29 June 2018 The 9 episode miniseries will premiere June 9th in GOT's Sunday spot, giving us a two week break post Battle of Winterfell to dive back into drama. — Sara Rodrigues, House Beautiful, "Big Little Lies Season 2 Brings Back Our Favorites Ladies—and Great Decor," 16 Apr. 2019 After conferring with technicians on the ground, the flight crew turned off one of the ADIRUs and the plane’s tendency to dive went away. — Jeff Wise, Popular Mechanics, "4 Times Before the Boeing 737 Max 8 That Plane Automation Software Went Haywire," 18 Mar. 2019 In the meantime, even the more casual fans like myself have taken to analyzing the frames of whatever footage HBO sees fit to release, not to mention deep-diving the promotional interviews the cast has given for hints. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Sophie Turner Might Have Just Dropped a Major Clue About Sansa Stark's Fate on Game of Thrones," 13 Apr. 2019 Tallulah Bankhead once dived fully clothed into the pool; her beaded dress weighed her down, obliging her to ditch the garment and emerge from the water naked. — Lesley M.m. Blume, Town & Country, "Inside Frank Gehry's Overhaul of Garden of Allah, L.A.’s Most Infamous Corner," 25 Feb. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Here’s a deep dive on whether or not topical CBD products can actually work for pain. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "8 Ways People With Endometriosis Deal With the Pain," 24 Apr. 2019 Netflix is currently stocked with plenty of ways to obsess over the royals, from documentaries about Princess Diana to deep dives on Queen Elizabeth. — Mahita Gajanan, Time, "The Best Shows and Movies to Watch on Netflix Before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Wedding," 7 May 2018 The New York Times does a deep dive on Democrats’ hopes for Phil Bredesen. — NBC News, "First Read's Morning Clips: Greitens digs in," 18 Apr. 2018 Once activated, the MCAS forced the plane into a dive and ultimately a crash that killed everyone on board, the newspaper said. — Bernard Condon, The Seattle Times, "Financial pressure mounts to fix Boeing’s troubled jetliner," 1 Apr. 2019 Step outside of your safety zone and dive in to this selection of fashionable picks. — Marina Liao, Marie Claire, "The Best New Swimwear of Summer 2019," 21 Mar. 2019 Instead of that cliché pool dive, the campaign videos showcase these two brilliant actors speaking to one another about craft. — Leah Prinzivalli, Glamour, "The 10 Most Groundbreaking Beauty Campaigns of 2018," 22 Dec. 2018 The short makes us excited to see what returning crew members can do with more episodes and another back-in-time dive into the series universe. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Adult Swim, Crunchyroll announce first-ever co-production: A Blade Runner anime," 29 Nov. 2018 In Riviera Maya, Palafitos overwater bungalows are a hop, skip and a dive away from the ocean. — Marissa Miller, Teen Vogue, "13 Dream Vacations to Add to Your Bucket List," 24 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.