plumb 1 of 3

Definition of plumbnext

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of plumb
Adjective
In My Mother and Eye, 2025, a sweeping Public Art Fund project installed in bus shelters across New York City, Boston, and Chicago, eleven discrete photographic collages plumb this intangible meeting point. Jessica Simmons-Reid, Artforum, 1 June 2025 Artists were enlisted to plumb surreality and to popularize it. Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
Insurance availability depends on factors ranging from roof age to electrical systems to plumbing materials. Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 19 Dec. 2025 The mission will require plumbing the depths for a sunken Russian sub, hanging from the wing of a biplane – and no less than an aircraft carrier. Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plumb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plumb
Adjective
  • Jesse Minter’s first Baltimore Ravens coaching staff is not complete.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • As vehicles become increasingly software-defined and electrified, EMB systems are emerging as a cornerstone of next-generation braking, widely viewed by engineers as one of the most advanced and complete solutions for how cars should stop.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Built for a client focused on results rather than polish by Nick Maselli, the robot—named Sourccey—features a cylindrical, mobile body with a domed top, two articulated arms, and a central vertical lift for handling garments.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Ten thousand cattails were used to create thin vertical rods, which were affixed to the perimeter of an octagonal skylight, creating a chapel with gently undulating walls.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • Also, click here to subscribe to our newsletter bringing our top stories of the week straight to your inbox.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Alternately, at any point, Huppert could interrupt herself, stare the audience straight in the face and advise them to turn off, walk out and experience the world.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • All of this makes Unspeakable Things a particular type of #MeToo memoir, one in which the accuser implicates herself—not as complicit in any assault or harassment, but as fully human, and sometimes confounding even to herself.
    Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The district now fully covers monthly premiums for its employees but has proposed charging employees a monthly rate, with a sliding scale based on their salaries.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • The community of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400 people, is reeling and working together to support those immediately affected by the shootings.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Northstar’s media contact number has been deactivated and an email to the resort was not immediately returned.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown was hosting a roundtable featuring seven Ohioans sharing stories about the financial pain that bloated health-care costs had inflicted on their families, compelling them to scale back their medical care.
    Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
  • With the proof of concept demonstrated, Stanton began to scale up his setup, replacing the 88-pound (40 kg) weight as a bob and adding precision bearings and powerful magnets to a frame that resembled a trebuchet’s triangular frame.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Other than Arturs Silovs, who was sensational between the pipes, and a spirited performance from rookie Ben Kindel, the Penguins produced an utter no-show against a surging Ottawa team.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The content suggests yet another another instance of ICE's utter depravity.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • According to the woman Hernandez became erect while touching her back and stomach, then covered himself with a pillow, the affidavit read.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Feb. 2026
  • For total protection, erect metal or polypropylene deer fencing around the plant to prevent them from entering.
    Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Plumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plumb. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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