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
Michael PollanAs 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
Peter H. LewisIf 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
Joshua J. RomeroExamples of take the plunge in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The numbers in the report also prove that more people are taking the plunge and putting their homes on the market, with the number of new listings increasing by 5.8% nationwide compared to last year.
—Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Across the rest of the year, when amateurs take the plunge, up to 120,000 balls are claimed by its waters annually, Sawgrass’ head greenskeeper estimated in 2019.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
That means couples who take the plunge on leap day can celebrate their wedding anniversary every four years, just in time for the Summer Olympics and presidential elections.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
That might be enough for certain kinds of investors who’ve been sitting on the sidelines to take the plunge into cryptocurrency.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2024
The ancestors and relatives of seals and sea lions, called pinnipeds, also took the plunge in the deep past.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Hardy souls at the Memphremagog festival can take the plunge in ice-cold water just for the thrill of it.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2024
The movie also tackles the competing interests of sport and sponsorship, dipping a toe in that weightier discourse without taking the plunge.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
The Vision Pro subreddit is naturally offering a taste of how Apple’s vision is landing with people who decide to take the plunge.
—Wes Davis, The Verge, 3 Feb. 2024
Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Across the rest of the year, when amateurs take the plunge, up to 120,000 balls are claimed by its waters annually, Sawgrass’ head greenskeeper estimated in 2019.
—Jack Bantock, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
That means couples who take the plunge on leap day can celebrate their wedding anniversary every four years, just in time for the Summer Olympics and presidential elections.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024
That might be enough for certain kinds of investors who’ve been sitting on the sidelines to take the plunge into cryptocurrency.
—Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2024
The ancestors and relatives of seals and sea lions, called pinnipeds, also took the plunge in the deep past.
—Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Mar. 2024
Hardy souls at the Memphremagog festival can take the plunge in ice-cold water just for the thrill of it.
—Riley Robinson, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2024
The movie also tackles the competing interests of sport and sponsorship, dipping a toe in that weightier discourse without taking the plunge.
—Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
The Vision Pro subreddit is naturally offering a taste of how Apple’s vision is landing with people who decide to take the plunge.
—Wes Davis, The Verge, 3 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take the plunge.' 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 take the plunge
Cite this Entry
“Take the plunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20plunge. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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