submerge

verb

sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj How to pronounce submerge (audio)
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 noun
submergible adjective

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 Situated in an arid region of southern Pakistan, Gwadar had not experienced a deluge of that magnitude in recent memory, and the rainfall submerged most buildings in the city. Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024 Of the 21 bees that were submerged for a full week, 17 were still alive eight weeks later—a survival rate of 81 percent. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for submerge 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'submerge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of submerge was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near submerge

Cite this Entry

“Submerge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/submerge. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

submerge

verb
sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj How to pronounce submerge (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on submerge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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