Synonyms of plumb

plumb 1 of 3

adjective

1

as in complete

having no exceptions or restrictions

a horror movie that's plumb trash and further evidence of the deterioration of popular culture

Synonyms & Similar Words

• complete
• utter
• sheer
• absolute
• pure
• unconditional
• simple
• total
• damned
• perfect
• definite
• outright
• damn
• very
• unmitigated
• real
• thoroughgoing
• clean
• flat
• unqualified
• deadly
• consummate
• blank
• crashing
• downright
• profound
• thorough
• straight-out
• unalloyed
• regular
• endless
• bodacious
• dead
• unadulterated
• flat-out
• out-and-out
• arrant
• huge
• stone
• blooming
• fair
• stark
• dreadful
• constant
• categorical
• genuine
• rank
• all-out
• authentic
• eternal
• veritable
• perpetual
• classic
• unremitting
• extreme
• horrible
• terrible
• unrestricted
• hopeless
• main
• supreme
• undying
• confirmed
• extraordinary
• superlative
• terrific
• habitual
• inveterate
• frightful
• surpassing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• uncertain
• qualified
• doubtful
• restricted
• questionable
• dubious
• equivocal

2

as in vertical

rising straight up

the wall was not plumb, so everything else in the room was out of kilter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vertical
• erect
• standing
• perpendicular
• upright
• lifted
• raised
• upstanding
• elevated
• upended
• stand-up
• upraised
• freestanding
• semierect
• stand-alone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flat
• recumbent
• prostrate
• supine
• hanging
• diagonal
• sagging
• slant
• slanted
• slanting
• slanty

plumb

2 of 3

adverb

1

as in straight

in a direct line or course

I can't believe he walked plumb into the tree, without even seeing it!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• straight
• right
• directly
• direct
• dead
• as the crow flies
• straightway
• due
• plump

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indirectly
• circuitously
• deviously
• veeringly

2

as in fully

chiefly dialect to a full extent or degree

I'm plumb tuckered out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fully
• completely
• quite
• perfectly
• totally
• all
• utterly
• thoroughly
• wide
• wholly
• fast
• even
• well
• out
• entirely
• exactly
• absolutely
• entire
• enough
• flat
• for fair
• dead
• clean
• full
• in whole
• soundly
• down the line
• all over
• to pieces
• to bits
• all the way
• at length
• heartily
• through and through
• down to the ground
• plain
• to the max
• basically
• cold
• altogether
• to the hilt
• downright
• all of
• unqualifiedly
• substantially
• mostly
• stone-cold
• principally
• generally
• chiefly
• categorically
• largely
• predominantly
• primarily
• stone
• mainly
• by and large
• greatly
• hands down
• predominately
• generously
• more or less
• copiously
• abundantly
• overall

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• partially
• halfway
• partly
• just
• half
• slightly
• barely
• scarcely
• hardly
• marginally
• incompletely
• superficially
• minimally
• somewhat
• part
• approximately
• roughly
• kind of

3

as in immediately

without delay

we had no sooner resolved that crisis than we plumb rushed into another one

Synonyms & Similar Words

• immediately
• promptly
• right
• instantly
• now
• directly
• right away
• bang
• away
• right now
• right off
• quickly
• straight off
• at once
• suddenly
• straightaway
• on the spot
• incontinently
• soon
• in no time
• instantaneously
• on the double
• forthwith
• shortly
• headlong
• off the bat
• straightway
• presently
• instanter
• on a dime
• pronto
• freely
• rapidly
• swiftly
• quick
• abruptly
• PDQ
• momentarily
• readily
• fast
• speedily
• swift
• unexpectedly
• briskly
• apace
• hastily
• presto
• opportunely
• posthaste
• fleetly
• recklessly
• rashly
• seasonably
• impetuously
• full tilt
• impulsively
• anon
• punctually
• snappily
• exactly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• slowly
• late
• tardily

plumb

3 of 3

verb

as in to scale

to measure the depth of (as a body of water) typically with a weighted line

plumbed the bay to make sure it was deep enough for the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scale
• fathom
• span
• gauge
• sound
• replumb
• remeasure

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective plumb differ from other similar words?

The words perpendicular and vertical are common synonyms of plumb. While all three words mean "being at right angles to a base line," plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity.

make sure that the wall is plumb

When might perpendicular be a better fit than plumb?

Although the words perpendicular and plumb have much in common, perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one.

the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts

In what contexts can vertical take the place of plumb?

In some situations, the words vertical and plumb are roughly equivalent. However, vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith.

the side of the cliff is almost vertical

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of plumb

Adjective

While still on Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek hosted Saturday Night Live — the musical guest was Everlast — and landed a plumb role in Varsity Blues, playing a second-string high school quarterback who leaps into the breach when the star suffers an injury. —Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026

An actor’s job is to plumb emotions at a moment’s notice. —Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2025

Verb

Every day for more than 30 years, NASA's iconic Hubble Space Telescope has plumbed the cosmos to unveil secrets and wonders lurking in every corner of the universe. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 May 2026

West Ham are relegated, sorry Spurs survive The odds were stacked against West Ham United beating relegation yesterday and even in a year when Tottenham Hotspur plumbed appallingly abject depths, few clubs deserved it more. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 25 May 2026

Phrases Containing plumb

• off plumb
• out of plumb