PLUNGE Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

plunge 1 of 2

verb

ˈplənj

Definition of plunge

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

surface

as in to dip

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in dive

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

jump
leap

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

This insulating wrap, in addition to the five-millimeter foam built into the tub itself, keeps water at the ideal cold-plunge temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit or under—even in the heat of the summer. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026 Gather around the smokeless fire pit for s’mores and storytelling, relax in a private hot tub or sauna, or take a dip in the cold-plunge pool. — Tree Meinch, Midwest Living, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for plunge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunge

Verb

The video clearly showed the forward had dived after a tackle from Leandro Paredes.

— The Athletic Soccer Experts, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Water-dumping planes repeatedly dived into the Seine River to scoop up water and douse the fires — the first time such aircraft had ever been used to fight fires in the Paris region, the regional fire chief said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026

Definition of dive

Noun

Changes over the seven days ranged from a drop of 5% to an increase of 2%.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Another investigator testified that the distance from the apparent sniper's perch to the tent where Kirk was speaking was about 410 feet, with a 68-foot vertical drop.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Definition of drop

Verb

This mixture is pushed through an extruder to form tiny, sprinkle-like cylinders, which are then tumbled in a rapidly spinning chamber to round them into near-spherical particles.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Spectrum launched for the first time in March 2025, from Europe's Andøya Spaceport in Norway, but the rocket began to tumble shortly after clearing the tower and fell back to Earth in a fiery explosion.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 10 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

The 61-year-old was treated in Greece for neck and shoulder injuries and friction burns, after a sudden cabin depressurization triggered oxygen masks and a rapid descent.

— Costas Kantouris, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Both Carpenter and Obeng are Black, but as the lawsuit reads, Carpenter is not of either Canadian nationality or Ghanaian descent.

— Ilana Arougheti July 10, Kansas City Star, 10 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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Style

“Plunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunge. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of plunge

verb

noun

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