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Synonyms

nose dive

British  

noun

  1. a sudden plunge with the nose or front pointing downwards, esp of an aircraft

  2. informal a sudden drop or sharp decline

    prices took a nose dive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to perform or cause to perform a nose dive

  2. informal (intr) to drop suddenly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That vibe crystallized in the first quarter, when products were already pressured by tariffs, and consumer sentiment has taken a nose dive since then.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

Her second marriage with Kevin Federline took a nose dive shortly after it began in 2004, citing "irreconcilable differences" and of course their bitter custody battle over their two sons.

From Salon • Aug. 21, 2023

For CAE, a Crawley-based company providing pilot training in its 18 simulators, Gatwick becoming a two-terminal airport once again means a steady climb out of the nose dive caused by the pandemic.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2022

However, the pandemic show’s ratings took a nose dive, averaging 6.9 million viewers — a 60 percent drop from the year before — and the lowest rating since NBC began airing it.

From Washington Post • Dec. 12, 2021

That winter Elizebeth’s health took a nose dive, and she had to take time off.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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