plunge

1 of 2

verb

plunged; plunging

transitive verb

1
: to cause to penetrate or enter quickly and forcibly into something
plunged the dagger
2
: to cause to enter a state or course of action usually suddenly, unexpectedly, or violently
plunged the nation into economic depression

intransitive verb

1
: to thrust or cast oneself into or as if into water
2
a
: to become pitched or thrown headlong or violently forward and downward
also : to move oneself in such a manner
plunged off the embankment
b
: to act with reckless haste : enter suddenly or unexpectedly
plunges into project after project
c
: to bet or gamble heavily and recklessly
3
: to descend or dip suddenly
the stock's value plunged

plunge

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of plunging : dive
also : swim

see also take the plunge

Examples of plunge in a Sentence

Verb Her car plunged off a bridge. The stock market plunged yesterday. The President's approval rating has plunged to 20 percent. The moose population has plunged in recent years. The rocky cliffs plunge into the swirling rapids below. The road plunges down the mountain. Noun Amazingly, the cat survived its plunge from the building's roof. Market analysts predicted a price plunge. The store experienced a sharp plunge in sales.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Tesla Stock Price Drop: Why TSLA Crashed 50% Since December And The Impact On Investors Tesla stock has plunged by over 50% since December, a dramatic collapse that has stunned shareholders and analysts alike. Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 Stocks had plunged on Monday morning, continuing three consecutive weeks of losses, with the technology-laden Nasdaq marking its worst day since September 2022 and the Dow shedding 890 points to close beneath its 200-moving average for the first time since late 2023. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
The stock markets' plunge following Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs on some of the U.S.'s closest and most important trade partners spells trouble for Americans and their retirement plans. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 Tesla shares declined nearly 9% on Monday, bringing its year-to-date plunge to more than 40%. Pia Singh, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for plunge

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French plunger, from Vulgar Latin *plumbicare, from Latin plumbum lead

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plunge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plunge. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

plunge

1 of 2 verb
plunged; plunging
1
: to push or drive into something with force
plunged a knife into the pie
2
: to leap or dive into water
3
a
: to rush with reckless haste
plunged into debt
b
: to bring into an unpleasant state
plunged the family into gloom
4
: to dip or move suddenly downward or forward and downward
the road plunges along the slope

plunge

2 of 2 noun
: a sudden dive, leap, or rush

More from Merriam-Webster on plunge

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