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 of submerge

• 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

Recently uncovered megaliths and monoliths, though now lying submerged, once adorned a coastal landscape long before the spread of agriculture across Europe. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 Dec. 2025

Days of torrential rain in Washington state have caused historic floods and left families stranded on rooftops, submerged vehicles and forced road closures. —CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

As many tents have been submerged by the flooding, so have the residents’ belongings. —Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025

This is likely to flood surrounding homes and businesses, leaving roads completely submerged. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 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