plunge 1 of 2

verb

ˈplənj How to pronounce plunge (audio)
Definition of plungenext
1
as in to dive
to cast oneself head first into deep water she took a deep breath and plunged from the side of the pool

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2
as in to dip
to go to a lower level especially abruptly prices for those televisions have really plunged since they were first introduced

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fall
to lead or extend downward a stairway plunging into darkness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

plunge

2 of 2

noun

1
as in dive
an act or instance of diving the Olympic diver took a well-executed plunge off the diving board

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2
as in drop
the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude an overnight plunge in temperature sent the thermometer to below the freezing mark

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 plunge
Verb
Tragedy plunges community into grief Bend, a picturesque city of about 100,000 people, sits in the high desert landscape of central Oregon. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 More than 100 waterfalls plunge along the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve full of dramatic backdrops for hiking and picnicking. — Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
The venues gather small groups for hot sauna sessions followed by cold plunges, selling the combination as a path to better circulation, muscle recovery and real-world connection. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026 More recently, speaking to The Zoe Report, Paltrow explicitly rejected the extreme end of the cold plunge trend. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plunge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunge
  1. dive
  2. dip
  3. fall
  4. drop
  5. tumble
  6. descend
  7. descent
  8. decline
Verb
  • At his suggestion, Gray began to dive into writings by Gilles Deleuze, bell hooks and Frantz Fanon, thinkers who engaged questions of difference, race and identity.
    — Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • What unfolded instead was a traffic jam on the right side before Walker cut back left, Mahomes nudged a linebacker off his course and Walker hit the crease and dived into the end zone.
    — Sam McDowell October 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dive
Verb
  • Fashion designers are dipping couture in peat; memes on Instagram offer help choosing your bog witch name.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Denver Water recommends disconnecting garden hoses and shutting off outdoor faucets before temperatures dip below freezing.
    — Tori Mason, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dip
Verb
  • In most cases where the acquirer is en route to paying a price amounting to a humongous PE, the acquirer’s stock falls.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Orionid meteor shower creates one of the most brilliant displays in the night sky each fall — but this year’s celestial event may have a dimmer showing due to a bright moon.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • With stimulus checks gone and student loan payments back, Maggiulli suggests the drop may partly be a return to normal.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For instance, the company launched its bronzing drops because community members asked for them on a TikTok live, and created a pickle lip balm because pickles were a huge trend on social media.
    — Colleen McKown, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • The tech-heavy index posted its worst decline since July on Wednesday, as shares of companies involved in the AI buildout, including chipmakers, tumbled.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • This week's losses have placed the S&P 500 and Nasdaq in negative territory week to date, as the former has fallen nearly 1% in the period, while the latter has tumbled more than 2%.
    — Justina Lee,Sean Conlon, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of tumble
Verb
  • But this morning an air of foreboding awakened me, and my little fishing barometer was already descending past the 29 mark.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities say Riek and his passengers were flying to Menominee from Kenosha, and the NTSB said Riek reported icing on the wings and needed to descend.
    — Frankie McLister, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of descend
Noun
  • El-Sayed, an American of Egyptian descent who would be the first Muslim senator if elected, has rankled at the GOP accusations, including in a recent TV interview.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Air traffic control approved the descent, and the plane began a right descending turn that increased sharply in rate until communications and data tracking were lost.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of descent
Verb
  • The two executives declined to give the company’s wholesale volume.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • His office declined to comment when asked about Overton’s involvement in drafting the scientific justification document.
    — David Lim, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline

Browse Nearby Words

plunders
plunge
plunged
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Cite this Entry

“Plunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunge. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plunge

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plunge

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