1
as in diving
to cast oneself head first into deep water
she took a deep breath and plunged from the side of the pool
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in falling
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
3
as in descending
to lead or extend downward
a stairway plunging into darkness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of plunging
The silence of the lake—save for the gentle peal of church bells on Sunday mornings and the plop of ducks plunging beneath the water surface—is a rare and unforgettable pleasure.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
The latest Middle East conflict continues spiraling days after Israel and the US launched their joint operation on Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, triggering retaliatory strikes on Israel and neighboring Gulf states and plunging the region into fear and uncertainty.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
The elbow-length collared shirt featured a plunging neckline and an opaque panel running down the very middle of her chest, leaving her bare sides and back covered in just the see-through material.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
The road rose away from the city through dark hills before plunging toward the sea.
—Vic O'Sullivan, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2026
South Korea’s Kospi — one of the hottest markets this year — crashed by 12% overnight after plunging 7% on Monday.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
The plunging value of the rial was one trigger for protests that began in late December in Tehran’s main bazaar and then spiraled nationwide.
—ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
The plunging costs of solar, wind, batteries, and electric vehicles, a step up in national policies, and a better understanding of what our energy future might look like have taken us off that terrifying path.
—Hannah Ritchie, Big Think, 24 Feb. 2026
The cartel’s response was immediate, spreading outward from Jalisco and plunging much of Mexico into chaos and violence.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
The latest Middle East conflict continues spiraling days after Israel and the US launched their joint operation on Iran, killing more than 1,000 people, triggering retaliatory strikes on Israel and neighboring Gulf states and plunging the region into fear and uncertainty.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 4 Mar. 2026
The elbow-length collared shirt featured a plunging neckline and an opaque panel running down the very middle of her chest, leaving her bare sides and back covered in just the see-through material.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
The road rose away from the city through dark hills before plunging toward the sea.
—Vic O'Sullivan, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2026
South Korea’s Kospi — one of the hottest markets this year — crashed by 12% overnight after plunging 7% on Monday.
—Fred Imbert, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2026
The plunging value of the rial was one trigger for protests that began in late December in Tehran’s main bazaar and then spiraled nationwide.
—ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
The plunging costs of solar, wind, batteries, and electric vehicles, a step up in national policies, and a better understanding of what our energy future might look like have taken us off that terrifying path.
—Hannah Ritchie, Big Think, 24 Feb. 2026
The cartel’s response was immediate, spreading outward from Jalisco and plunging much of Mexico into chaos and violence.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plunging
Verb
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How to pursue time freedom as a couple That process, Hill says, with starts with encouraging couples to dream together rather than diving straight into numbers.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2026
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Within the opening minutes of the 80-61 win over Rutgers at Williams Arena on Saturday, Grove was diving on the floor for loose balls and battling for rebounds.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Also Monday, the Pakistan Stock Exchange plunged, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index falling nearly 10% amid rising geopolitical tensions following attacks on Iran.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Formula 1 returns to Australia this weekend, descending on the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne once again.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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The drone footage of the skiers descending the dizzying glacier is quite the payoff.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On the tea-time menu that Wednesday is Vazhakkai Bajji, green plantain slivers folded into spicy chickpea batter, deep-fried a crisp orange-brown and presented on a banana leaf with a coconut dipping chutney on the side.—
Kalpana Mohan,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
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As the flood was beginning to wane, a monarch was crossing the valley, momentarily dipping down to sip nectar from a patch of penstemons still standing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, the situation remains fluid as the conflict continues to widen — with the US sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka and NATO forces intercepting an Iranian missile headed for Turkey.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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The video shows the vessel being struck before breaking apart and sinking rapidly beneath the ocean’s surface.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Just one week ago, a report hypothesizing on how AI could disrupt the economy sent the Dow tumbling by more than 800 points.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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Stock futures are tumbling this morning.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Iranian retaliatory attacks appear to be declining — ballistic missile strikes have fallen by 90% and drone attacks by 83%, according to US Central Command — potentially easing pressure on Gulf states that have faced Iranian strikes in recent days.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Instead of coming from declining direct-to-home satellite taxes, the money would come directly from state sales and use taxes.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The executive, Deputy Chief Financial Officer Janine Lim, blamed the delay, in part, on staff resignations and plummeting morale amid uncertainty over the agency’s future.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
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Experts say Chen is part of a broader trend that has seen a growing number of young people across China migrating to small towns and cities, taking advantage of cheap real estate prices that have been plummeting since the COVID pandemic.—
Albee Zhang,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Plunging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plunging. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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