Meaning & use
plunge
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To fall, jump, or move suddenly and steeply downward or into something.
Grammar: Often followed by into, down, or off: plunge into the water.
Patterns
- plunge into something
- plunge down
- plunge off something
She plunged into the cold lake.
The car plunged down the steep hill.
He plunged off the diving board.
verbintransitive
To decrease suddenly and by a large amount.
Grammar: Used for prices, temperatures, etc., often followed by to or by.
Patterns
- plunge to something
- plunge by something
Stock prices plunged by 20% in one day.
The temperature plunged to below zero.
verbtransitive
To push something firmly and quickly into something else.
Grammar: Takes an object: plunge a knife into something.
Patterns
- plunge something into something
He plunged the knife into the cake.
She plunged her hands into the warm water.
nouncountable
A sudden steep fall or drop.
Grammar: Often used with an or the: a plunge in sales.
Patterns
- a plunge in something
- take a plunge
The plunge in oil prices worried investors.
She took a plunge into the icy river.
Word forms
| third person singular | plunges |
|---|---|
| past tense | plunged |
| past participle | plunged |
| -ing form | plunging |
Common combinations
- plunge into
- He plunged into the pool with a splash.
- plunge to
- The temperature plunged to -10°C.
- plunge by
- Sales plunged by 30% last quarter.
- take the plunge
- They finally took the plunge and bought a house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dive
- Dive often suggests a deliberate, graceful entry into water; plunge is more sudden and forceful.
- drop
- Drop is a general word for falling; plunge emphasizes a steep, dramatic fall.
- fall
- Fall is neutral; plunge adds a sense of speed and steepness.
Opposites
Word family
- plunger noun
- A tool with a rubber cup used to clear blocked pipes.
Commonly confused: plunge or plunder?
plunge vs plunder
Plunder means to steal by force; plunge means to fall or dive suddenly.
Practice
The company's profits _____ by 50% last year.
Choose one answer.
'Plunged' alone means decreased suddenly. 'Plunged to' would need a specific figure (plunged to $1 million), and 'plunged into' suggests entering something.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “plunge”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.