What does plummeting mean?
Plummeting means falling or declining with great speed and force. The word is especially common when describing something that drops suddenly and sharply, such as sales, prices, profits, temperatures, or levels of public interest. It conveys a dramatic movement rather than a gradual change: a population may decline slowly, while a market can plummet almost overnight. Plummeting is the present participle of “plummet” and is often used before a noun, as in “plummeting demand,” although it can also stand alone as the main verb in a sentence. Its imagery is strongly vertical, evoking a heavy object falling rapidly through the air. Because it implies severity and speed, it is generally unsuitable for describing ordinary, minor decreases. The word is used in both British and American English and is especially effective in journalism, business reporting, and descriptions of sudden economic or environmental changes.
verbTo fall steeply or rapidly, especially from a high level or value. It can also describe something decreasing or deteriorating sharply.
- To descend steeply or rapidly.
- To decrease or deteriorate sharply in value, quantity, or quality.
"The number of visitors plummeted after the announcement."
"Temperatures plummeted as the storm approached."
"The company reported a sharp decline in revenue, with subscriptions plummeting during the quarter."
When something plummets, it does not merely fall—it drops with startling speed, as if gravity had suddenly become irresistible.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plummeting come from?
The present participle “plummeting” is formed from the verb “plummet.” That verb developed from the earlier noun meaning a heavy weight or lead plummet used in fishing and measurement, and it initially referred to dropping or sinking rapidly like such a weight. Over time, the verb came to describe steep falls more generally, including figurative declines. Modern senses inherit the word’s strong image of a weight falling straight and swiftly downward.
Related word forms
How plummeting is actually used
Usually intransitive and strongly figurative in modern usage, especially for prices, figures, or conditions. “Plummet” is more forceful and visually dramatic than “decrease” or “fall.”