Dive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈdīv/

Meaning & Definition of Dive

Dive (verb)

  1. to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst; specifically, sports, to dive in a prescribed manner, execute a dive
  2. submerge
  3. to come or drop down precipitously, plunge

Dive (noun)

  1. the act or an instance of diving
  2. a plunge into water executed in a prescribed manner
  3. a submerging of a submarine

Dive (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an act or instance of diving

    "the penguin took a dive off of the ice sheet"

    similar: pitch, plunge
    related: dip, immersion, submersion, fall, plump, slip, spill, stumble, tumble, descent, drop, belly flop, header, jackknife, swan dive
    near: jump, leap

  2. the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude

    "stock prices took a long, steady dive"

    similar: descent, dip, down, drop, fall, nosedive, plunge
    related: comedown, decline, downfall, downgrade, plummeting, sinking
    opposite: ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn
    near: advance, headway, progress, progression, betterment, improvement

Dive (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cast oneself head first into deep water

    "we watched her dive in after the drowning man"

    similar: pitch, plunge, sound
    related: dip, immerse, submerge, belly flop, plump, plunk
    near: surface

  2. to go to a lower level especially abruptly

    "sales figures for existing homes dived dramatically when mortgage rates skyrocketed"

    similar: crash, crater, decline, descend, dip, drop, fall, lower, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane, recede, retreat
    opposite: arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up
    near: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax

Related Entry: Divas (noun)

Divas is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for divas, not for dive.

  1. a usually glamorous woman who is preeminent in her field of activity

    "the reigning diva of daytime television"

    similar: goddesses, princesses, queens
    related: high priestesses, priestesses, prima donnas

Related Entry: Diva (noun)

Diva is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for diva, not for dive.

  1. a usually glamorous woman who is preeminent in her field of activity

    "the reigning diva of daytime television"

    similar: goddess, princess, queen
    related: high priestess, priestess, prima donna

Related Entry: Dive (into) (verb)

Dive (into) is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for dive (into), not for dive.

  1. to start work on energetically

    "the first morning back at work was spent diving into the huge pile of e-mails that had accumulated over the previous two weeks"

    similar: attack, tackle, wade (in or into), go at, have at, light into, pitch into, sail into, tear into
    related: address, approach, face, buckle (down to), concentrate (on), focus (on), knuckle down (to), zero (in on), fall (to), pitch in, plunge (in), settle (down), pursue, take up, undertake
    near: avoid, evade, shun, dally, dawdle, dillydally, fiddle (around), fool, idle, lag, mess, monkey (around), play, poke, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

Related Entry: Dive (in) (verb)

Dive (in) is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for dive (in), not for dive.

  1. as in plunge (in)

    similar: plunge (in), decide, budge, stir, advance, continue
    opposite: balance, dither, falter, halt, hang back, hesitate, scruple, shilly-shally, stagger, teeter, vacillate, waver, wobble, haw, hem, dally, dawdle, delay, linger, pause, procrastinate, wait

Related Entry: Nose-dive (verb)

Nose-dive is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for nose-dive, not for dive.

  1. to go to a lower level especially abruptly

    "prices on just about everything nose-dived right after the holidays"

    similar: crash, crater, decline, descend, dip, dive, drop, fall, lower, plummet, plunge, sink, skid, tumble
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside, taper off, wane, recede, retreat
    opposite: arise, ascend, lift, mount, rise, soar, spike, up
    near: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax

Related Entry: Swan dive (noun)

Swan dive is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for swan dive, not for dive.

  1. as in header, belly flop

    similar: belly flop, header, jackknife, descent, drop, fall, plump, slip, spill, stumble, tumble, dip, immersion, submersion, dive, pitch, plunge
    opposite: jump, leap

Related Entry: Nosedive (noun)

Nosedive is a different word from Dive. The synonyms below are for nosedive, not for dive.

  1. the act or process of going to a lower level or altitude

    "the pilot struggled to pull his plane out of a nosedive"

    similar: descent, dip, dive, down, drop, fall, plunge
    related: comedown, decline, downfall, downgrade, plummeting, sinking
    opposite: ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn
    near: advance, headway, progress, progression, betterment, improvement

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dive

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dive:

pitch, plunge, descent, dip, down, drop, fall, nosedive, sound, crash, crater, decline, descend, lower, nose-dive, plummet, sink, skid, tumble

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dive

Words with the opposite meaning of Dive:

ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn, arise, ascend, lift, mount, soar, spike, up

Related Words for Dive

immersion, submersion, plump, slip, spill, stumble, belly flop, header, jackknife, swan dive, comedown, downfall, downgrade, plummeting, sinking, immerse, submerge, plunk, abate, decrease, de-escalate, die (down), diminish, droop, dwindle, ebb, lessen, let up, moderate, subside

Near Antonyms of Dive

jump, leap, advance, headway, progress, progression, betterment, improvement, surface, accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mushroom, pick up, snowball, swell, wax

Word Forms of Dive

Inflections: dived, dove, diving, dives

Origin & Etymology of Dive

Middle English diven, duven, from Old English dȳfan to dip & dūfan to dive; akin to Old English dyppan to dip dip

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Dive

Words & Phrases Containing Dive

dive bar, dive-bomb, dive for, dive (right) in, dive (right) in/into (something), back dive

Frequently Asked Questions about Dive

What does "Dive" mean?

"Dive" means to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst; specifically, sports, to dive in a prescribed manner, execute a dive. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to plunge into water intentionally and especially headfirst; specifically, sports, to dive in a prescribed manner, execute a dive. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dive"?

Other words for "Dive" include pitch, plunge, descent, dip, down, drop, fall and nosedive. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dive" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dive"?

There are 53 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dive". Common alternatives include pitch, plunge, descent, dip, down, drop, fall, nosedive, sound and crash.

What is the opposite of "Dive"?

Antonyms of "Dive" include ascent, climb, rise, rising, soaring, upswing, upturn and arise. Near antonyms include jump, leap, advance and headway.

How do you use "Dive" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dive" in a sentence: "the penguin took a dive off of the ice sheet"; "stock prices took a long, steady dive"; "we watched her dive in after the drowning man".

Is "Dive" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dive" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Dive" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Dive" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Dive"?

"Dive" is pronounced /ˈdīv/.