: a German submarine

Examples of U-boat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This includes German U-boats sunk during World War II and cruise ships that sank and have never been found. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 Six days later, off the southern coast of Ireland, a German U-boat torpedoed the ship’s starboard side with such Teutonic precision that its funnels were underwater in eighteen minutes. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 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 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“U-boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/U-boat. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

U-boat

noun
ˈyü-ˈbōt
: a German submarine

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