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

One recent Polymarket ad on Meta’s social media platforms shows an influencer hanging off a hot air balloon before letting go and plummeting. —Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 28 May 2026

Specifically, these plummeting estrogen levels impair your body's baseline production of natural hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin, the building blocks that keep your skin bouncy, plump, and lubricated. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 May 2026

Noun

Mass-production brands like Ford, GM, Honda and Volvo have all retreated from their EV initiatives in one way or another as consumer demand plummets, profit falls and policy makers deprioritize moving away from traditional gas power. —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

There are a number of factors contributing to McAlister’s plummet. —Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 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