take the plunge

idiomatic phrase

informal

: to do or undertake something especially after a period of hesitation or uncertainty

Up to now, I've avoided growing roses … . But last winter the ripe catalogue shots of roses took hold in my imagination, and I decided to take the plunge.

—Michael Pollan

As with any new OS upgrade, it is prudent to wait awhile before taking the plunge, to make sure others have had a chance to find all the bugs.

—Peter H. Lewis

If you've considered buying an e-reader but haven't yet taken the plunge, there's no longer a need to wait.

—Joshua J. Romero

Examples of take the plunge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Netflix has already taken the plunge to be a regular provider of WWE events. —Alex Sherman, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2025

Whatever’s necessary to get a kid to take the plunge – hold their breath under water, come to the surface and move their arms to stay afloat – Marsh finds a way to do it, demonstrating an uncanny ability to intuit each youngster’s needs and emotional state. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Jan. 2025

Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks’ minority owner and surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris during her presidential election bid, had been linked to running for the White House in the last few election cycles but never took the plunge. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 3 Dec. 2024

Pennsylvanians are taking the plunge later in life. —Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above