submerge

verb

sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj 

submerged; submerging

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 

noun

submergible

səb-ˈmər-jə-bəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• engulf
• flood
• overwhelm
• drown

Examples of submerge in a Sentence

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

Avoid entering basements or rooms where electrical outlets or cords are submerged in water. —Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025

Don't go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025

Avoid basements or rooms where water has submerged electrical outlets or cords. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2025

This marked the foldable as water resistant, but not waterproof, and able to withstand being submerged in fresh water up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes. —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for submerge

• converge
• diverge
• emerge
• upsurge
• demiurge
• dirge
• merge
• purge
• scourge
• serge
• splurge
• spurge

Kids Definition

submerge

verb

sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj 

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