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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
  • As for gas, it has usually been treated as a waste product to be burned off; because there are so few pipelines to bring it to market, West Texas gas prices have even dipped negative this year.
    — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Uncover dough, dip your hand in water and stretch one side of dough up and over to meet opposite side; turn bowl 90°.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 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
  • To Nothing’s credit, the case gets IPX2 ingress protection, so a drop of rain now and then shouldn’t kill it.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Vaibhav steps into the India lineup in place of Ishan Kishan who has a groin injury and will bat at first drop unless India chooses to match him in an all left hand opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of drop
Verb
  • The chorus broke open with two major chords, and the two people fumbled their way down the hall in the story while the musical progression tumbled downward, along with the protagonist’s self-respect.
    — Tom Roland, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The call followed the release of solid financial results for the July-to-September quarter, though lower fourth-quarter and full-year guidance spooked investors and sent Netflix shares tumbling in after-hours trading.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of tumble
Verb
  • National reporters, big GOP donors and the president himself have descended on Kansas as Republicans seek to stave off Hamilton’s challenge.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While descending, deputies said the climber ran into trouble after following an erroneous GPS route that led him onto the Whitney Glacier.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of descend
Noun
  • The booster, meanwhile, reoriented for its descent back to Earth.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The deputy pointed to Les Républicains leader and presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau, who was interior minister in 2023 when police shot a teenager of Algerian-Moroccan descent and sparked nationwide protests.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of descent
Verb
  • Central bank holdings at the New York Fed declined 40 tonnes in August, Goldman added, while holdings at the Bank of England rose 46 tonnes.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For this story, however, the district declined to comment due to Ortiz’s lawsuit, which is ongoing.
    — Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 22 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plunge

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