plunge

American  

[pluhnj] / plʌndʒ /

verb (used with object)

• plunges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• plunged,
  past participle,  past
• plunging
  present participle

1. to cast or thrust forcibly or suddenly into something, as a liquid, a penetrable substance, a place, etc.; immerse; submerge.

   to plunge a dagger into one's heart.

2. to bring suddenly or forcibly into some condition, situation, etc..

   to plunge a country into war; to pull a switch and plunge a house into darkness.

3. Horticulture. to place (a potted plant) up to its rim in soil or in certain other materials, as sand or moss.

4. Surveying. to transit (the telescope of a transit or theodolite).

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verb (used without object)

• plunges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• plunged,
  past participle,  past
• plunging
  present participle

1. to cast oneself, or fall as if cast, into water, a hole, etc.

   Synonyms:

   dive

2. to rush or dash with headlong haste.

   to plunge through a crowd.

   Synonyms:

   hasten

3. to bet or speculate recklessly.

   to plunge on the stock market.

4. to throw oneself impetuously or abruptly into some condition, situation, matter, etc..

   to plunge into debt.

5. to descend abruptly or precipitously, as a cliff, road, etc.

   Synonyms:

   drop

6. to pitch violently forward, as a horse, ship, etc.

noun

• plunges
  plural

1. act of plunging.

2. a leap or dive, as into water.

3. a headlong or impetuous rush or dash.

   a plunge into danger.

4. a sudden, violent pitching movement.

5. a place for plunging or diving, as a swimming pool.

6. Geology. pitch.

idioms

1. take the plunge, to enter with sudden decision upon an unfamiliar course of action, as after hesitation or deliberation.

   She took the plunge and invested her entire savings in the plan.

plunge British  

/ plʌndʒ /

verb

1. (usually foll by into) to thrust or throw (something, oneself, etc)

   they plunged into the sea

2. to throw or be thrown into a certain state or condition

   the room was plunged into darkness

3. (usually foll by into) to involve or become involved deeply (in)

   he plunged himself into a course of Sanskrit

4. (intr) to move or dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity

5. (intr) to descend very suddenly or steeply

   the ship plunged in heavy seas

   a plunging neckline

6. informal (intr) to speculate or gamble recklessly, for high stakes, etc

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noun

1. a leap or dive as into water

2. informal a swim; dip

3. a place where one can swim or dive, such as a swimming pool

4. a headlong rush

   a plunge for the exit

5. a pitching or tossing motion

6. informal

   1. to resolve to do something dangerous or irrevocable

   2. to get married

plunge More Idioms  

1. see take the plunge.

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Synonym Usage

See dip ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• replunge
  verb
• unplunged
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• plunges
  plural

Participles

• plunging
  present
• plunged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• plunge
  simple
• plunges
  simple
• have plunged
  perfect
• has plunged
  perfect
• am plunging
  progressive
• are plunging
  progressive
• is plunging
  progressive
• have been plunging
  perfect progressive
• has been plunging
  perfect progressive

Past

• plunged
  simple
• had plunged
  perfect
• was plunging
  progressive
• were plunging
  progressive
• had been plunging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will plunge
  simple
• will have plunged
  perfect
• will be plunging
  progressive
• will have been plunging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of plunge

1325–75; Middle English < Middle French plung ( i ) er ≪ Vulgar Latin *plumbicāre to heave the lead. See plumb

Explanation

Plunge is a noun and a verb related to diving, falling, and sinking. A "polar bear plunge" is when people plunge into freezing cold water for charity or, inexplicably, for fun. As a noun, plunge means “a brief swim” or “a fall.” As a verb, plunge has a variety of definitions. Plunge can mean “to devote yourself fully," as you might plunge into a job by working day and night. Similarly, if you plunge into a good book, you don't let anything distract you from your reading. Plunge can also mean “fall abruptly.” Someone’s reputation might plunge after a scandal, or the stock market might plunge when investors react to bad news.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plunge plunges plunged plunging

That came after Mater Dei junior quarterback Russell Sekona tied the score, 9-9, midway through the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown plunge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

Hook says he wouldn't go to Turkey "because I have heard so many bad things", adding that he investigated thoroughly before taking the plunge in Tirana.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Even if the levies don’t plunge Canada’s economy into a recession, they are expected to leave a mark.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

The 2005 changes caused the number of personal bankruptcies to plunge.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026

Then there was the pumping plant for the artesian well, and the big cement tank where Judge Miller’s boys took their morning plunge and kept cool in the hot afternoon.

From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London

Millions of Europeans will contemplate the sky in awe on Wednesday as a rare total solar eclipse crosses part of the continent and plunges a swathe of Spain into eerie daytime darkness.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Another, says Nuttall, is that constant jawboning about deals has led to several price plunges, making traders cautious.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

“PRP, stem cells, cold plunges, GLP-1s,” he says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Spikes in that ratio have flagged short-term stock peaks in the last two decades, as plunges flagged several market troughs.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026

But still sleep would not come, or came only in quick plunges from which he emerged, giddy with thoughts he could not choose or direct.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Bloomberg reported Thursday that Saudi Arabia told members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries its production of crude oil in August plunged to its lowest level since 1990.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

In Venezuela, cryptocurrency has become ubiquitous after the value of the bolivar plunged during a stint of hyperinflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Malcolm Marx plunged over at the back of juggernaut maul and a Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty gave South Africa a cushion that Samisoni Taukei'aho's final-play try could dent, but not fully deflate.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

The stock plunged as much as 25% in premarket trading soon after the results, before paring losses.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

He plunged into the water and swam toward the Shadow Dancer, but it spun in the wind and sailed away at a vicious speed, cutting head-on through the waves.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

The redevelopment of Camp Schwab includes new buildings and lengthening the runway, an engineering challenge that requires plunging thousands of pylons and tons of landfill into the soft seabed at Oura Bay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

In Madrid, the eclipse was not total but reached more than 99 percent coverage of the sun, plunging the Spanish capital into near-total darkness for a few moments.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

The 78-year-old fled Dhaka as tens of thousands of demonstrators held protests and stormed government buildings, including her official residence, plunging the country of more than 170 million into crisis.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

State-run UNE said there was a "total disconnection" of the national electricity system, plunging the country, including the capital, into abrupt darkness.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

The man-trip lurched and we were off, plunging down what seemed an endless black tunnel.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Related Words

• descend
• dip
• drive
• drop
• go down
• hurtle
• jump
• nose-dive
• plummet
• sink
• throw
• tumble