nosedive

noun

nose·​dive ˈnōz-ˌdīv How to pronounce nosedive (audio)
1
: a downward nose-first plunge of a flying object (such as an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop
stock prices took a nosedive
nose-dive intransitive verb

Examples of nosedive in a Sentence

The plane went into a nosedive. The stock market took a nosedive.
Recent Examples on the Web And the real estate sector, which grew for decades, driving the Chinese economic miracle, took a nosedive since the pandemic. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2024 Up the ranks Bailey served as assistant chief under his predecessor Taylor for the past four years, considered the rockiest in the city’s history between social justice protests and a nosedive in staffing levels. Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Feb. 2024 From deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019, to the recent debacle with loose bolts and a door being torn off during an Alaska airlines flight, the company’s reputation for safety has taken a nosedive. Joe Moglia, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 In terms of life expectancy, the US has trailed its peers for years but took a nosedive during the pandemic, while other countries fared better. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2023 However, with funding taking a nosedive in 2023—due to political instability and the ongoing war—challenging times are ahead for Israeli startups. Martin Reeves, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2024 But none of those headaches compared to the nosedive of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 27 Dec. 2023 The report appears likely to further imperil the future of Ukraine aid, of which support among congressional Republicans has taken a nosedive in recent months. Alex Horton, Washington Post, 12 Jan. 2024 Walleye wound up there in the 1990s, and by the early 2000s, the thriving perch and trout populations had taken complete nosedives. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 16 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nosedive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nosedive was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near nosedive

Cite this Entry

“Nosedive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nosedive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nosedive

1 of 2 noun
nose·​dive ˈnōz-ˌdīv How to pronounce nosedive (audio)
1
: a downward nose-first plunge (as of an airplane)
2
: a sudden extreme drop (as in prices)

nose-dive

2 of 2 verb
nose-dived; nose-diving
: to plunge suddenly or sharply

More from Merriam-Webster on nosedive

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