Meanings
plunge1
verbplunge (third-person singular simple present plunges, present participle plunging, simple past and past participle plunged)
present singular third person plunges · participle present plunging · participle past plunged · past plunged
- transitiveTo thrust into liquid, or into any penetrable substance; to immerse.
to plunge the body into water
1 more example
"Most of them don't wash. Those who do usually plunge their head into some brook or rill, if there happens to be one about."
1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 53 - figurativelytransitiveTo cast, stab or throw deep and fast into some thing, state, condition or action.
to plunge a nation into war
4 more examples
to plunge a dagger into the breast
He flicked a switch and the room was plunged into darkness.
the city was plunged into darkness
Jon isn’t lying when he tells her she will always be his queen, right before plunging a knife into her. He genuinely swore obedience, and sees himself as a traitor when he commits the deeds.
2019 May 19, Alex McLevy, “The final Game Of Thrones brings a pensive but simple meditation about stories (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 22 May 2019 - obsoletetransitiveTo baptize by immersion.
- figurativelyintransitiveTo fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition.
profits plunge 90%
5 more examples
to plunge into debt
to plunge into controversy
The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:[…].
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLCDo we know how kinky practices began? Do we know who the first kinky people were? Well, no. […] Nevertheless, we shall plunge ahead into the past, using what facts we have to make informed assumptions on how we traveled the slippery slope from there to here.
2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 32Target reported profit plunged 90% in the second quarter, falling far short of expectations, as inflation-weary customers pulled back on spending on nonessential items.
2022 August 17, Chris Isidore, “Target profit plunges 90% as inflation-weary shoppers pull back”, in CNNSynonyms: slump
- intransitiveTo pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does.
1 more example
[N]ature affects a looſe kinde of liberty, vvhich it cannot indure to have reſtrained: neither fares it othervviſe vvith it, then vvith ſome vvilde colt; which at the firſt taking up, flings and plunges, and vvill ſtand on no ground; but after it hath been ſomvvhile diſciplin'd at the Poſt, is grovvn tractable, and quietly ſubmits either to the ſaddle, or the collar: […]
1648, J[oseph] Hall, chapter LXXXVI, in Select Thoughts: Or, Choice Helps for a Pious Spirit. […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Brooke, […], published 1654, →OCLC, pages 249–250
nounplunge (plural plunges)
plural plunges
- The act of plunging or submerging.
- datedA swimming pool.
- figurativelyThe act of pitching or throwing oneself headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse.
- obsoleteAn immersion in difficulty, embarrassment, or distress; the condition of being surrounded or overwhelmed; a strait; difficulty.
plunge2
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition.
Similar
nounHeavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
verbimmerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate
verbdevote (oneself) fully to
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
plunge · verb, noun
- Old Frenchplongier
- Anglo-Normanplungier
- Middle Englishplungen
- Englishplunge
From Middle English plungen, ploungen, Anglo-Norman plungier, from Old French plongier, (Modern French plonger), from unattested Late Latin frequentative *plumbicō (“to throw a leaded line”), from plumbum (“lead”). Compare plumb, plounce.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic غَطَّسَ, غَمَسَ
- غَطَّسَ (ḡaṭṭasa)to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- غَمَسَ (ḡamasa)to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- غَطَسَ (ḡaṭasa)(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
Bulgarian потапям, хвърлям
- потапям (potapjam)to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- хвърлям (hvărljam)(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- гмуркам се (gmurkam se)(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- потапям се (potapjam se)(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- хвърлям се (hvărljam se)(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- гмуркане (gmurkane)The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- скок във вода (skok văv voda)The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Catalan submergir, precipitar
- submergirto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- precipitar(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- submergir-se(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- capbussar-se(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- immersióThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Czech ponořit se, pohroužit se
- ponořit seto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- pohroužit seto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- potopit seto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- ponořit se(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- pohroužit se(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- potopit se(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- ponořit se(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- pohroužit se(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- vrhnout se(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
Esperanto plonĝi, plonĝi
- plonĝi(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- plonĝi(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
Finnish syöstä, sukellus
- syöstäto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- sukellusThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
French plonger, plonger
- plongerto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- plonger(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- précipiter(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- plonger(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- se plonger(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- se plonger(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- plongéeThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
German eintauchen, tauchen
- eintauchento thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- tauchento thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- untertauchento thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- senkento thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- versenkento thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- stoßen(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- stürzen(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- stecken(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- treiben(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- stürzen(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- untertauchen(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- abtauchen(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- EintauchenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- TauchenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- UntertauchenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- StürzenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- HerabstürzenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- SturzThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- FallThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- HineinfallenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- HerabfallenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- HineinstürzenThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- KopfsprungThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Hawaiian hoʻoluʻu
- hoʻoluʻuto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
Irish tum, tum
- tumto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- tum(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
Italian immergere, immersione
- immergereto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- immersioneThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Latin mergō
- mergōto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
Māori urupou, tapakō
- urupou(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- tapakō(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
Persian غوطه رفتن
- غوطه رفتن (ġute raftan)to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
Romanian afunda
- afundato thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
Russian погружать, ныря́ть
- погружать (pogružatʹ)to thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- ныря́ть (nyrjátʹ)(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- прыжо́к (pryžók)The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
- ныряние (nyrjanije)The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Scottish Gaelic tumadh
- tumadhThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Slovak ponoriť, pohrúžiť
- ponoriťto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- pohrúžiťto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- vnoriť sato thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- zaboriť(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- zabodnúť(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- ponoriť sa(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- vnoriť sa(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- potopiť sa(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- vrhnúť sa(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- skočiť(intransitive) to pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does
- vrhnúť sa strmhlav(intransitive) to pitch or throw oneself headlong or violently forward, as a horse does
Spanish sumergir, zambullir
- sumergirto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- zambullirto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- zabullirto thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse
- precipitar(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- clavar(figuratively, transitive) to cast or throw into some thing, state, condition or action
- sumergirse(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- zambullirse(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- zabullirse(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
- zambullirse(figuratively, intransitive) to fall or rush headlong into some thing, action, state or condition
- inmersiónThe act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge
Turkish dalmak
- dalmak(intransitive) to dive, leap or rush (into water or some liquid); to submerge oneself
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with plunge
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
plunge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunge
MLA
“plunge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunge. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “plunge,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/plunge.
Source: plunge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.