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

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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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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
These crises are plunging many into anxiety and despair, especially young people whose futures have become uncertain. — Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Feature China | Future Publishing | Getty Images Shares of South Korea's Hanwha Ocean plunged about 23% Tuesday, after the company lost its bid to build Canada's next fleet of submarines. — Justina Lee, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Noun
Beyond that, there's a beachfront yoga shala running morning sessions, a sauna, a cold plunge, and massages on request. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026 Just outside downtown Santa Fe, near the national forest, is a Japanese-style sanctuary with private hot tub suites—each with its own cold plunge and sauna. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 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
  • Below, Select dives into how the Federal Funds Rate relates to mortgage rates, what current expectations mean for homebuyers and the lenders that offer lower-than-average rates.
    — Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 8 July 2026
  • The group was diving in the Golfo Nuevo around the Hu Shun Yu 809 artificial reef.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of dive
Verb
  • Americans' confidence in the court system and democracy has dipped in recent years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
  • The looping, dipping shot by Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov from an improbably tight angle was voted best goal of the first round.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of dip
Verb
  • Some older employees who have benefited from a booming stock market may be retiring feeling comfortable with their 401(k)s, though that doesn’t explain why the participation rate for people ages 25 to 55 has fallen.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • But for some Atlanta businesses, the major soccer tournament has fallen far short of expectations.
    — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • The patriotic ball drop is scheduled to air at midnight ET on CNN as July 3 turns into July 4 in Times Square.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • Tesla’s results – which came in above expectations – indicate the company may be recovering after two straight years of annual sales drops and the removal EV tax credits in the US, which has lowered the incentive for prospective American buyers.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • On their way in, crews had to clear debris from multiple floors; aside from chunks of concrete, masonry and flooring, obstacles included a bathroom sink and toilet that had tumbled down from above.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Tongaat tumbled into business rescue — similar to Chapter 11 in the US — after corrupt bookkeeping practices blew a hole in its balance sheet in 2018.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of tumble
Verb
  • But last weekend’s mayhem, in which thousands descended on the community and more than 400 ended up under arrest, has hit Newport Beach differently, spurring calls for the city leaders to take decisive action.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Barely a month ago, there was plenty of fretting that FIFA had grossly overestimated the crowds that would descend on the tournament’s host cities and stadiums.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of descend
Noun
  • His mother was of European descent and his father was a Cantonese opera star who was on tour in the city, affording his son birthright citizenship.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Stokesbury said the climber's descent was a long slide down the steep snow slope rather than a straight free fall, with the terrain gradually becoming less steep farther down the mountain.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of descent
Verb
  • Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
  • Even as remote work has declined from its pandemic highs, the data shows nearly 22% of workers still worked at least partly from home in 2025, only 1 percentage point less than the number who partly worked from home during the year prior.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plunge

Nglish: Translation of plunge for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plunge

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