plummet

1 of 2

verb

plum·​met ˈplə-mət 

plummeted; plummeting; plummets

intransitive verb

1

: to fall perpendicularly

birds plummeted down

2

: to drop sharply and abruptly

prices plummeted

plummet

2 of 2

noun

1

: plumb

also : plumb line

2

: an abrupt drop : an instance of plummeting

a sharp plummet in prices

If in the final week of the season, the Mets were trying to stop a plummet off a cliff, they are now attempting to climb out of a dark, deep abyss …

—Judy Battista

Synonyms

Verb

• crash
• crater
• decline
• descend
• dip
• dive
• drop
• fall
• lower
• nose-dive
• plunge
• sink
• skid
• tumble

Examples of plummet in a Sentence

Verb

The acrobat plummeted into the net.

The car plummeted to the bottom of the canyon.

The satellite plummeted into the ocean.

Stock prices plummeted 40 percent during the scandal.

The TV show has plummeted in the ratings.

Temperatures are expected to plummet this weekend.

The town's population plummets when the students leave for the summer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Earlier this month, Spirit’s shares plummeted after reports indicated the airline was discussing a potential bankruptcy filing. —Ty Roush, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

As a result, China’s CSI 300 Real Estate Index plummeted 7.85%, dragging down the broader CSI 300, which dropped 1.13%. —Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2024

The actor and director’s career plummeted following the incident. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024

The ratio of motor-vehicle deaths to miles travelled by drivers in the United States plummeted. —Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English plomet, from Anglo-French plumet, plomet, from plum lead, lead weight — more at plumb

First Known Use

Verb

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

plummet

1 of 2 noun

plum·​met ˈpləm-ət 

1

: plumb entry 1

2

: plumb line

plummet

2 of 2 verb

: to fall straight down : plunge