U-boat

noun

ˈyü-ˌbōt How to pronounce U-boat (audio)
: a German submarine

Examples of U-boat in a Sentence

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.
Smoke from the fighting still rose on the horizon, but Picard’s eyes scanned the gray water below for signs of German U-boats. — Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026 Demand for honey and wax peaked again during WWII with a second round of U-boat attacks and strict rationing of paraffin wax. — Literary Hub, 27 May 2026 During the early years of the conflict, German U-boat operations had wrought havoc with Allied shipping. — Mark Wood, TheWeek, 7 Jan. 2026 Moorhouse follows a similar approach in his enthralling and illuminating history of German U-boats in the battle for the Atlantic. — Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for U-boat

Word History

Etymology

translation of German U-boot, short for Unterseeboot, literally, undersea boat

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of U-boat was in 1914

Rhymes for U-boat

See All Rhymes for U-boat

Browse Nearby Words

ubi supra
U-boat
U-bolt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“U-boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/U-boat. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

U-boat

noun
ˈyü-ˈbōt
: a German submarine

More from Merriam-Webster on U-boat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about U-boat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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