plunge down

USAGE SUMMARY

"plunge down" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean to plunge downward in a steep, rapid or sudden manner. Example Sentence: The stock market took a plunge down after the announcement of rising unemployment numbers.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Tech

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

9. Rise up and then plunge down low like a great sailboat in a wild wind.

The New York Times - Magazine

A song may surface briefly, like a fish out of the sea, and then plunge down again.

The New Yorker

It's almost all carry, and anything right will plunge down 75 feet or more into unfathomable trouble.

The New York Times - Travel

Shimmering cliffs of water towered up on both sides, and as the watery walls began to plunge down on him he woke with a cry.

The New Yorker

And they will be able to plunge down quickly, solving one of the most common complaints of directors, Mr. Sellars said.

The New York Times - Arts

To plunge down the rabbit hole, click on the little lock icon next to your name in the top-left column of your news feed page.

The New York Times

Yet the game has won plenty of people over to its charms, as you plunge down a well looking for treasure.

The Guardian - Tech

Great grey slabs plunge down from the ceiling, forming an interlocking play of cubic volumes, filtering fine shafts of light down across their faces into the ethereal gloom.

The Guardian - Arts

Riders emerge anywhere from sprinkled to soaked as the rafts spin along the water course and then plunge down two steep falls.

The New York Times - Travel

East of the Blue Ridge extends the Piedmont Upland, terminating abruptly in the fall line, where its rivers plunge down over rapids or falls to the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

Encyclopedia Britannica

From there, riders choose to plunge down either a 60- or 80-foot roll-in that resembles a ski-jumping ramp, which launches them over either a 50- or 70-foot gap.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "plunge down" when you want to convey a sense of rapid, uncontrolled, and often dramatic descent. It's particularly effective for describing physical movements or sudden drops in abstract concepts like stock prices.

Common error

Avoid using "plunge down" in highly formal or technical writing where a more neutral term like "descend" or "decrease" might be more appropriate. The phrase carries a strong connotation of suddenness and drama.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "plunge down" primarily functions as a dynamic descriptor, portraying a subject's swift and often uncontrolled downward movement. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage and broad applicability across contexts, from literal descents to figurative declines, consistent with the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Encyclopedias

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

4%

Reference

4%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "plunge down" is a versatile phrasal verb effectively conveying a rapid and intense descent, whether literal or figurative. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its grammatical correctness and widespread usage, particularly in news and media, underscore its reliability. While highly descriptive, it is recommended that you consider a more neutral alternative in formal or technical contexts. Its communicative power lies in emphasizing suddenness and drama, making it a valuable tool for vivid writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

plummet downwards

Uses a more dramatic word, "plummet", to intensify the sense of a rapid fall.

descend rapidly

Replaces "plunge" with a more general term for downward movement, while retaining the sense of speed.

rush downwards

Emphasizes the speed and force of the downward movement.

drop sharply

Focuses on the sudden and significant nature of the downward movement.

sink quickly

Replaces the idea of steepness with simple speed of a sinking motion.

fall steeply

Emphasizes the angle and speed of the descent.

dive steeply

Implies a headfirst or nose-first downward movement.

slump downwards

Expresses a decline that is less sharp and more gradual.

tumble downwards

Suggests a less controlled and more chaotic descent.

cascade down

Implies a flowing or waterfall-like descent.

FAQs

How is "plunge down" typically used in a sentence?

Typically, "plunge down" describes a rapid descent, either literally (like a roller coaster) or figuratively (like a stock market crash). For example: "The roller coaster began to "plunge down" the steep hill."

What are some alternatives to "plunge down"?

Alternatives include "descend rapidly", "drop sharply", or "plummet downwards", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to say "plunge down," since "plunge" already implies downward motion?

While "plunge" does imply downward motion, "plunge down" emphasizes the direction and reinforces the swiftness and intensity of the movement. The redundancy is slight and the phrase is widely accepted.

Can "plunge down" be used in contexts other than physical descent?

Yes, "plunge down" can be used metaphorically to describe a sudden decline in things like prices, rankings, or emotional states. For example: "The company's profits began to "plunge down" after the scandal."