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

However, total vehicle unit sales fell 2.8 percent year-on-year in the first half of calendar 2026, weighed down notably by a 17.1-percent plunge in China.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 613.92 points, or 1.19%, to 52208.06, rebounding from a plunge Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

It investigates how the move could "threaten to plunge a prison system struggling with overcrowding into chaos", and says that some 6,000 prisoners had been set for release on a monthly schedule from early September.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Selling a house in the current market is tough, as high mortgage rates make buyers hesitant to take the plunge on a home purchase.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026

At other times it would plunge beneath, stirring up the mantle and resulting in long spells of volcanic activity and earthquakes.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Kiki, however, lives in a world that sees magic as part of the natural order, which plunges her into an existential crisis when she loses hers.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

Concentrix stock plunges after missing earnings and issuing poor guidance.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

But when it comes to resilience, the company plunges to 110th place—a byproduct of its dependence on both Taiwan and China.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026

Up above them, our little boat rolls and plunges.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

Axon Enterprise plunged 14% to $522.46 even after the maker of Taser guns and drones posted earnings above the Wall Street peg, giving back some of the speculative gains ahead of its earnings report.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

The fund borrowed heavily to finance its AI bets and scrambled to raise cash last month after several of its holdings plunged, triggering demands from lenders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Suddenly, the world is plunged into an eerie, violet darkness.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

Although sales of electric vehicles have plunged since the tax credit expired, demand for gas-electric hybrids has surged.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

I squeaked, dreading the thought of being plunged into darkness again.

From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney

After plunging on a Financial Times report of merger discussions with Bristol-Myers Squibb, shares of AstraZeneca recovered somewhat when Reuters reported there are no ongoing talks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

January 5: A 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines makes an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blows out mid-flight, plunging Boeing back into crisis mode.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Some tech shares are plunging - what does that mean for the AI revolution?

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

When the market is plunging, you don’t care about buying the lowest implied volatility.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

While Jonah watched, a dark shape—no, a person—eased the door of Jonah’s room shut, blocking out the light, plunging the windows into complete darkness.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

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