What does "plunger" mean?
A device that is used to remove blockages from the drain of a basin or tub, by suction.
Plunger
/ˈplʌnd͡ʒə/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A device that is used to remove blockages from the drain of a basin or tub, by suction.
- Grammar: plunger is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: piston, plumber's helper, adventurer, betting ring.
- Useful contrasts: valve.
- Usage evidence: Do you have a toilet plunger I could borrow?
How to use "plunger"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "plunger" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "plunger" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "plunger" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "plunger" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "plunger" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "piston" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "plunger", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A device that is used to remove blockages from the drain of a basin or tub, by suction.
- 2 mechanical device that has a plunging or thrusting motion wordnet
- 3 The internal piece of a syringe that pushes out or pulls in any contents.
- 4 hand tool consisting of a stick with a rubber suction cup at one end; used to clean clogged drains wordnet
- 5 The sliding activator of an exploder, an electrical generator used to trigger electrical detonators such as blasting caps.
Show 13 more definitions
- 6 someone who dives (into water) wordnet
- 7 Certain equipment for brewing coffee.; The part of a cafetière that is pushed down to remove grounds from coffee.
- 8 someone who risks losses for the possibility of considerable gains wordnet
- 9 Certain equipment for brewing coffee.; A cafetière, through abbreviation of coffee plunger.
- 10 One who plunges; a diver.
- 11 A horse that plunges, or throws itself suddenly forward.
- 12 A cavalryman.
- 13 A device similar to a piston but without a mechanism; a long solid cylinder used, instead of a piston or bucket, as a forcer in pumps.
- 14 The moving portion of a solenoid.
- 15 The spring-loaded assembly that propels the ball onto the table.
- 16 A reckless gambler or gamble. dated, slang
"Well I suppose there's not one of you gentlemen here who hasnt^([sic]) at some time or other taken a plunger, and how many of you hasnt^([sic]) come back sadder and wiser."
- 17 A boiler in which clay is beaten by a wheel to a creamy consistency.
"Another part of the invention relates to making articles of earthenware by a plunger, which is forced into a mould"
- 18 The firing pin of a breechloader.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Do you have a toilet plunger I could borrow?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "plunger"?
Common synonyms include: piston, plumber's helper, adventurer, betting ring, bettor, big operator.
How do you use "plunger" in a sentence?
Do you have a toilet plunger I could borrow?
How do you pronounce "plunger"?
Pronounced /ˈplʌnd͡ʒə/.
Etymology
From plunge + -er.