submerge

1 of 2

verb

sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj How to pronounce submerge (audio)
submerged; submerging
Synonyms of submerge

transitive verb

1
: to put under water
2
: to cover or overflow with water
3
: to make obscure or subordinate : suppress
personal lives submerged by professional responsibilities

intransitive verb

: to go under water
submergence
səb-ˈmər-jən(t)s How to pronounce submerge (audio)
noun
submergible
səb-ˈmər-jə-bəl How to pronounce submerge (audio)
adjective

submergence

2 of 2

noun

sub·​mer·​gence -jən(t)s How to pronounce submergence (audio)
plural -s
1
: the quality or state of being submerged
2
a
: the act of submerging something
b
: the distance or degree to which something is submerged

Synonyms of submerge

Relevance

Verb

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Examples of submerge in a Sentence

Verb After boiling the broccoli, submerge it in ice water to stop the cooking process. The town was submerged by the flood. We watched as the divers prepared to submerge. She's a marvelous actress who submerges herself totally in her roles.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Some South Florida streets and parks likely will be submerged at some point in the next few days, as another — stronger — round of king tides strike the region. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026 In nearby Rio Grande County, trailers at a campground were surrounded by high water and trucks were partially submerged in other areas. — Mead Gruver, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Damon said the wreck is fully submerged and usually difficult to see. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The team fashioned the bottoms out of scuba material that would allow Skarsgård to submerge in the water. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for submerge

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin submergere, from sub- + mergere to plunge — more at merge

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of submerge was in the 15th century

Rhymes for submerge

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Browse Nearby Words

submenu
submerge
submerged
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Cite this Entry

“Submerge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/submerge. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

submerge

verb
sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj How to pronounce submerge (audio)
submerged; submerging
1
: to put or go underwater
the whale submerged
2
: to cover or become covered with or as if with water
floods submerged the town
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