plunger
Americannoun
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plungers
plural
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Machinery. a pistonlike reciprocating part moving within the cylinder of a pump or hydraulic device.
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Automotive. a pistonlike part in the valve of a pneumatic tire.
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Also called plumber's helper, plumber's friend, force cup. a device consisting of a handle with a rubber suction cup at one end, used as a force pump to free clogged drains and toilet traps.
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a person or thing that plunges.
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a reckless bettor or speculator.
noun
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a rubber suction cup fixed to the end of a rod, used to clear blocked drains
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a device or part of a machine that has a plunging or thrusting motion; piston
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informal a reckless gambler
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of plunger
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.
See Examples For:
Lih said inspiration for his design came from a sink plunger from Home Depot and suction devices in ambulances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
In my mind, a fire extinguisher often gets put into the same “essentials” bucket as a plunger for your house: You should probably buy one before you need it.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Because water resists compression, pulling the plunger creates increasing resistance.
From Science Daily ● May 13, 2026
You can’t just burn you house down and walk away, so you grab a plunger.
From Slate ● Apr. 7, 2025
Bobby disliked the timer because it took up too much room on the table—plus, you had to push the plunger forward to stop your clock and start your opponent’s.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Cold plungers tend to speak in the evangelical tone of the convert.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
Then it's time to pull out a plunger — there are mini plungers designed for sinks, but you can simply flip up the flange of your toilet plunger, as well.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2022
I always pulled on the little plungers to see if chocolate bars would appear magically without the requisite pennies.
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2022
This turned out to be a case in which the plungers read the fine print more closely than the experts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 13, 2021
My feet swell big and heavy like plungers, but I drag them across the linoleum floor straight center where Uncle wants to show off the new dance we learned.
From "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
