Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

plummet

American  
[pluhm-it] / ˈplʌm ɪt /

noun

  1. Also called plumb bob.  a piece of lead or some other weight attached to a line, used for determining perpendicularity, for sounding, etc.; the bob of a plumb line.

  2. something that weighs down or depresses.


verb (used without object)

  1. to plunge.

    Synonyms:
    swoop, drop, dive, fall
plummet British  
/ ˈplʌmɪt /

verb

  1. (intr) to drop down; plunge

"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

noun

  1. another word for plumb bob

  2. a lead plumb used by anglers to determine the depth of water

"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

Other Word Forms

  • unplummeted adjective

Etymology

Origin of plummet

1350–1400; (noun) Middle English plommet < Middle French, diminutive of plomb lead; (v.) derivative of the noun See plumb, -et

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.

And the share of homes sitting on the market for more than 120 days plummeted from 51% in the third quarter to 33%.

From MarketWatch

Scientists warn that as humans move more activities off-Earth, more debris will fall to Earth, polluting as it plummets.

From BBC

Shares fell 37%, a plunge that spoke to trying times in an industry that continues to see rising costs and plummeting consumer spending create a combo plate from hell.

From Los Angeles Times

Pressure had been mounting for Jerí to resign in the wake of the scandal as he faced a corruption investigation launched by the attorney general and his approval ratings plummeted.

From BBC

But shares of some of the companies making those giant investments have plummeted.

From Barron's