1
: something that functions or operates underwater
specifically
: a naval vessel designed to operate underwater
2
: a large sandwich on a long split roll with any of a variety of fillings (such as meatballs or cold cuts, cheese, lettuce, and tomato)
called also grinder, hero, hoagie, Italian sandwich, po'boy, sub, torpedo
submarined; submarining
: to attack by or as if by a submarine : attack from beneath
: to dive or slide under something
Synonyms
Examples of submarine in a Sentence
Adjective
the submarine fossils that are to be found in coral reefs
Noun
always orders a roast beef submarine with the works
Recent Examples on the Web
Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2023
The country has also done some research into developing submarine nuclear reactors, which typically (with some exceptions) use weapons-grade uranium for fuel that could serve as a stepping stone to nuclear weaponry.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 11 May 2023
The results are submarine fields of potato-size mineral deposits called polymetallic nodules.
—Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2023
According to prosecutors, the card contained restricted data about submarine nuclear reactors.
—Robert Legare, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2021
In the attacks on the Mōhne and Eder dams, from a height of about 60 feet, the bombs were dropped into reservoirs several hundred yards from the dams, then bounced along the water’s surface to avoid anti-submarine nets.
—Richard Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Dec. 2022
In recent weeks, the United States, Japan and South Korea have conducted their first trilateral anti-submarine and missile-tracking exercises since 2017 in a show of force that may have prompted the North Korean escalation.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2022
These silos accommodate a mix of anti-air, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land attack cruise missiles.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 6 Sep. 2022
The Orca is based on Boeing’s 50-ton Echo Voyager, an experimental drone that was designed to cruise underwater for months at depths of as much as 11,000 feet (3,400 meters) on anti-submarine, mine-sweeping and other missions.
—Anthony Capaccio, Bloomberg.com, 14 June 2022
Patrick Frater, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Her new book, Chamber Divers, is about research conducted by scientists at UCL before and during World War II — including protocols for operating the miniature submarines used on scouting missions in advance of D-Day.
—Terry Gross, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Serene also has two helipads and a hangar, a big swimming pool, and a tender garage large enough for a submarine.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
Undersea cables, also known as submarine communications cables, are fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor and used to transmit data between continents.
—Robin Chataut, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
Some of the fans were either installed on — or bound for use with — electrical components of a nuclear submarine, an aircraft’s laser system and a surface-to-air missile system, the department said.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024
Another £200 million will be invested in Barrow-in-Furness, the town in northwest England that’s home to the UK’s nuclear submarine program, to regenerate the area over the next 10 years.
—Kit Rees, Fortune Europe, 25 Mar. 2024
Greenwood’s report found Chinese companies have worked to buy or build airports, rail facilities, and naval and submarine bases from Greenland to Scandinavia.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2024
Today, China and Russia are pursuing the joint development of helicopters, conventional attack submarines, missiles, and missile-launch early warning systems.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
David Pierce, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2023
The dummy still submarined under the rear lap belt and its head got close to the front seatback.
—Andrew Beckford, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023
Like the aforementioned vehicles, in testing the rear passenger test dummy in the 2023 Toyota Camry submarined and the shoulder belt also moved toward its neck.
—Andrew Beckford, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023
Related: Ice Cube believes his BIG3 league is being submarined by the NBA
Over the past year, Marc Lasry sold his stake in the Bucks for $3.5 billion and Michael Jordan sold his share of the Hornets for about $3 billion.
—Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
Underwater sensor arrays won’t put an end to submarine stealth by themselves.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2022
For example, when Falcons defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham ran with a recovered fumble, Herbert veered directly toward the 6-foot-4, 320-pounder and, exposing his upper body to a potential blow, began an attempt to submarine him.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2022
That deal just didn’t submarine the Lakers’ last season, it’s robbed the organization and its fans of that excited buzz that should fuel summer months.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022
There is no way an injury to a two-way player should submarine a season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2023
Adjective
This eruption even gave its name to the style of shallow, submarine basaltic eruptions: Surtseyan.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2023
The country has also done some research into developing submarine nuclear reactors, which typically (with some exceptions) use weapons-grade uranium for fuel that could serve as a stepping stone to nuclear weaponry.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 11 May 2023
The results are submarine fields of potato-size mineral deposits called polymetallic nodules.
—Dino Grandoni, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2023
According to prosecutors, the card contained restricted data about submarine nuclear reactors.
—Robert Legare, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2021
In the attacks on the Mōhne and Eder dams, from a height of about 60 feet, the bombs were dropped into reservoirs several hundred yards from the dams, then bounced along the water’s surface to avoid anti-submarine nets.
—Richard Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Dec. 2022
In recent weeks, the United States, Japan and South Korea have conducted their first trilateral anti-submarine and missile-tracking exercises since 2017 in a show of force that may have prompted the North Korean escalation.
—Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2022
These silos accommodate a mix of anti-air, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and land attack cruise missiles.
—Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 6 Sep. 2022
The Orca is based on Boeing’s 50-ton Echo Voyager, an experimental drone that was designed to cruise underwater for months at depths of as much as 11,000 feet (3,400 meters) on anti-submarine, mine-sweeping and other missions.
—Anthony Capaccio, Bloomberg.com, 14 June 2022
Noun
The team, which includes cocky inspector portrayed by Nicholas Tse, soon discovers the corpses of the crew and a huge cache of weapons, including an extremely valuable compass suitable for piloting a submarine.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Her new book, Chamber Divers, is about research conducted by scientists at UCL before and during World War II — including protocols for operating the miniature submarines used on scouting missions in advance of D-Day.
—Terry Gross, NPR, 10 Apr. 2024
Serene also has two helipads and a hangar, a big swimming pool, and a tender garage large enough for a submarine.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
Undersea cables, also known as submarine communications cables, are fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor and used to transmit data between continents.
—Robin Chataut, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
Some of the fans were either installed on — or bound for use with — electrical components of a nuclear submarine, an aircraft’s laser system and a surface-to-air missile system, the department said.
—Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2024
Another £200 million will be invested in Barrow-in-Furness, the town in northwest England that’s home to the UK’s nuclear submarine program, to regenerate the area over the next 10 years.
—Kit Rees, Fortune Europe, 25 Mar. 2024
Greenwood’s report found Chinese companies have worked to buy or build airports, rail facilities, and naval and submarine bases from Greenland to Scandinavia.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 16 Mar. 2024
Today, China and Russia are pursuing the joint development of helicopters, conventional attack submarines, missiles, and missile-launch early warning systems.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
Google could use its ultra-popular apps like Gmail, Maps, and YouTube to promote Chrome and the Google app, diverting people away from Safari and potentially submarining the value of Apple’s deal with any other search engine.
—David Pierce, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2023
The dummy still submarined under the rear lap belt and its head got close to the front seatback.
—Andrew Beckford, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023
Like the aforementioned vehicles, in testing the rear passenger test dummy in the 2023 Toyota Camry submarined and the shoulder belt also moved toward its neck.
—Andrew Beckford, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2023
Related: Ice Cube believes his BIG3 league is being submarined by the NBA
Over the past year, Marc Lasry sold his stake in the Bucks for $3.5 billion and Michael Jordan sold his share of the Hornets for about $3 billion.
—Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Aug. 2023
Underwater sensor arrays won’t put an end to submarine stealth by themselves.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2022
For example, when Falcons defensive lineman Ta’Quon Graham ran with a recovered fumble, Herbert veered directly toward the 6-foot-4, 320-pounder and, exposing his upper body to a potential blow, began an attempt to submarine him.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2022
That deal just didn’t submarine the Lakers’ last season, it’s robbed the organization and its fans of that excited buzz that should fuel summer months.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022
There is no way an injury to a two-way player should submarine a season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'submarine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Submarine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/submarine. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
submarine
1 of 2 adjective
sub·ma·rine
ˈsəb-mə-ˌrēn 
ˌsəb-mə-ˈrēn
submarine
2 of 2 noun1
: a naval vessel designed to operate underwater
2
: a large sandwich on a long split roll
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