1
: a downward nose-first plunge of a flying object (such as an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop
stock prices took a nosedive
nose-dive
intransitive verb
Examples of nosedive in a Sentence
The plane went into a nosedive.
The stock market took a nosedive.
Recent Examples on the Web
Beyond the fact the Mavericks have been in a nosedive with 20 losses in 24 games, the schedule-maker hasn’t been terribly kind to Dallas, either.
—
Nate Sanchez, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Revenue took a 10% nosedive last year to less than $1 billion—$966 million, to be precise.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
The subsequent nosedive was unforeseen.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The name Kelly took a nosedive after the millennial era.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nosedive
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Nate Sanchez, Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
Revenue took a 10% nosedive last year to less than $1 billion—$966 million, to be precise.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
The subsequent nosedive was unforeseen.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
The name Kelly took a nosedive after the millennial era.
—Kara Nesvig, Parents, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nosedive
Cite this Entry
“Nosedive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosedive. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nosedive
1 of 2 noun
nose·dive
ˈnōz-ˌdīv 
1
: a downward nose-first plunge (as of an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop (as in prices)
nose-dive
2 of 2 verb
nose-dived; nose-diving
: to plunge suddenly or sharply
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