# plummet

/ˈpɫəmət/ (US) · /plˈʌmɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/plummet
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 2. to decrease rapidly

verb · CEFR B2

to decrease by a large amount in a very short time.

For teachers: to experience a sudden and significant decline in value, amount, or intensity.

- Share prices began to plummet after the company reported poor sales.
- Public confidence in the administration began to plummet following the revelation of the fiscal scandal.

### 4. a lead weight

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a lead weight on a string used to measure how deep water is.

For teachers: a lead weight attached to a line, used for sounding the depth of water or determining a vertical line.

- The sailor dropped the plummet into the sea to check the depth.
- The architect used a traditional plummet to ensure the stone wall was perfectly vertical.

Usage: Commonly referred to as a 'plumb bob' in modern technical contexts.

## Examples

- The price of oil took a sharp plummet last week.
- After the news of the merger, the company's stock took a dramatic plummet, losing nearly half its value in a single day.
- The sudden plummet in global temperatures during the winter months forced the agricultural sector to reconsider its planting schedules for the following season.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.