take the plunge

idiomatic phrase

informal

: to do or undertake something especially after a period of hesitation or uncertainty

Up to now, I've avoided growing roses … . But last winter the ripe catalogue shots of roses took hold in my imagination, and I decided to take the plunge.

—Michael Pollan

As with any new OS upgrade, it is prudent to wait awhile before taking the plunge, to make sure others have had a chance to find all the bugs.

—Peter H. Lewis

If you've considered buying an e-reader but haven't yet taken the plunge, there's no longer a need to wait.

—Joshua J. Romero

Examples of take the plunge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie is understood to have sold well for Black Bear internationally, the question now is who will take the plunge on domestic, which is being handled by WME Independent and Range Select. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025

Driven by the approval of attendees like Dries Van Noten, fashion boutique architects Gonzalez Haase, and Alexis Martial and Adrien Caillaudaud, former artistic directors of Carven, Vaisberg and Debehault took the plunge and debuted in New York City in 2024. —Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 28 Aug. 2025

While the concept is simple – a group of solo travelers sharing an itinerary and sometimes a room – taking the plunge of booking seemed to be the biggest hurdle for most. —Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

Will the Blue Jays take the plunge to address their most glaring need in what is shaping up to be a special season? —Levi Weaver, New York Times, 28 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for take the plunge

• expunge
• lunge
• sponge
• muskellunge