nosedive

noun

nose·​dive ˈnōz-ˌdīv How to pronounce nosedive (audio)
1
: a downward nose-first plunge of a flying object (such as an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop
stock prices took a nosedive
nose-dive intransitive verb

Examples of nosedive in a Sentence

The plane went into a nosedive. The stock market took a nosedive.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From that point on, his production took a nosedive. Ryan McFadden, The Denver Post, 17 Nov. 2024 Oil and gas giant BP (LON: BP) has unveiled its lowest quarterly profits since Q4 2020, when the industry's performance took a nosedive during the Covid-19 global pandemic. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 Rite Aid’s languishing stock, meanwhile, took a nosedive when the company entered bankruptcy late last year and the New York Stock Exchange moved to delist it. Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2024 The success of manufacturing and industrial sites contrasts sharply with a weak Bay Area office market haunted by record-high vacancies, foreclosures and a nosedive in values. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 31 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for nosedive 

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nosedive was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near nosedive

Cite this Entry

“Nosedive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosedive. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

nosedive

1 of 2 noun
nose·​dive ˈnōz-ˌdīv How to pronounce nosedive (audio)
1
: a downward nose-first plunge (as of an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop (as in prices)

nose-dive

2 of 2 verb
nose-dived; nose-diving
: to plunge suddenly or sharply

More from Merriam-Webster on nosedive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!