plummet

1 of 2

verb

plum·​met ˈplə-mət How to pronounce plummet (audio)
plummeted; plummeting; plummets

intransitive verb

1
: to fall perpendicularly
birds plummeted down
2
: to drop sharply and abruptly
prices plummeted

plummet

2 of 2

noun

1
: plumb
also : plumb line
2
: an abrupt drop : an instance of plummeting
a sharp plummet in prices
If in the final week of the season, the Mets were trying to stop a plummet off a cliff, they are now attempting to climb out of a dark, deep abyss …Judy Battista

Examples of plummet in a Sentence

Verb The acrobat plummeted into the net. The car plummeted to the bottom of the canyon. The satellite plummeted into the ocean. Stock prices plummeted 40 percent during the scandal. The TV show has plummeted in the ratings. Temperatures are expected to plummet this weekend. The town's population plummets when the students leave for the summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Imagine what happens when the body stops breathing or doesn’t breathe enough: Oxygen levels, for example, can plummet each night to levels that rushed people with Covid-19 respiratory distress into intensive care during the pandemic. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024 Could turnout plummet because of unhappiness with a Biden-Trump rematch? Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 4 Apr. 2024 Intel shares have also plummeted 10% this week after its foundry unit, which makes semiconductors, posted a $7 billion loss in 2023, $1.8 billion more than in 2022. Will Daniel, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024 His three-point percentage (35.8 percent) is the third-lowest of his career, his two-point percentage (49 percent) is the fifth-lowest, and his effective field goal percentage (51.3 percent) has plummeted. Brian Sampson, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024 Zweig said the big question facing U.S. Coast Guard personnel and other first responders is whether anyone could survive for several hours after their cars plummeted into Baltimore Harbor. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024 The search has been called off as six people who plummeted from a Baltimore bridge are presumed dead. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024 Officials were able to prevent cars from driving onto the bridge just before the accident, but eight construction workers remained on the structure and plummeted into the river below. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024 But the country plummets to number 62 for those under 30. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'plummet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English plomet, from Anglo-French plumet, plomet, from plum lead, lead weight — more at plumb

First Known Use

Verb

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plummet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near plummet

Cite this Entry

“Plummet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plummet. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

plummet

1 of 2 noun
plum·​met ˈpləm-ət How to pronounce plummet (audio)

plummet

2 of 2 verb
: to fall straight down : plunge

More from Merriam-Webster on plummet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!