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noun

nosedive

NOHZ-dyv

Nosedive (noun) means a steep, headfirst drop, whether physical or figurative, such as a sharp fall in price. Example: “Shares of the company took a nosedive after the scandal broke.”

noun
1
A steep, headfirst drop, whether physical or figurative, such as a sharp fall in price.
"Shares of the company took a nosedive after the scandal broke."
"The plane went into a nosedive before the pilot regained control."
verb
1
To drop suddenly and sharply, like an aircraft plunging nose-first.
"Sales nosedived in the final quarter of the year."

How to use nosedive

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA sudden, steep drop — used literally for planes and figuratively for prices, popularity, or morale.

Common pairings
take a nosedive prices nosedived go into a nosedive

Word forms

nosedived past tense, nosedove past tense, nosedives plural, nosedives singular

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Shares of the company took a _____ after the scandal broke.

Etymology

A compound of nose + dive, first used for an aircraft plunging nose-first toward the ground.

dive nose dive

Related words

Rhymes for nosedive

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Frequently asked questions

What does “nosedive” mean?

The word “nosedive” means a steep, headfirst drop, whether physical or figurative, such as a sharp fall in price. In plain terms, a sudden, steep drop — used literally for planes and figuratively for prices, popularity, or morale.

How do you pronounce “nosedive”?

“Nosedive” is pronounced NOHZ-dyv (/ˈnəʊzdaɪv/ in IPA).

How do you use “nosedive” in a sentence?

Here is “nosedive” used in a sentence: “Shares of the company took a nosedive after the scandal broke.”

What part of speech is “nosedive”?

Depending on how it is used, “nosedive” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “nosedive” have?

“Nosedive” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a steep, headfirst drop, whether physical or figurative, such as a sharp fall in price.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial