idiom · informal

take the plunge

/teɪk ðə plʌndʒ/TAKE the PLUNGE

speakingtask2

to decide to do something important or risky, especially after thinking about it for a while

Examples

After months of thinking, she finally took the plunge and started her own business.

I decided to take the plunge and book a one-way ticket abroad.

Many students take the plunge and change majors in their second year.

Band 8 sentence

Many graduates take the plunge into entrepreneurship despite uncertain prospects.

Collocations

  • take the plunge and start
  • finally take the plunge

Word family

take the plunge verb phrasetook the plunge verb phrase (past)taking the plunge verb phrase (gerund)

Common mistakes

take plungetake the plunge

made the plungetook the plunge

take the plungertake the plunge

Say it for a higher band

5decide6make a decision7+take the plunge

Synonyms

take a leap

Easily confused

take a leap

She took a leap and moved to New York to pursue acting.

Related words

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In Success

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