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

The cliffs were formed 10 to 20 million years ago when all of Southern Maryland was submerged in a warm, shallow sea. — Katie Riley, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026

For the first buoyancy tests, the researchers submerged several designs in freshwater for more than two months. — New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2026

In July 1960, USS George Washington successfully fired Polaris missiles while submerged off the coast of Florida. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026

Reacher submerges a guy’s hand in the oil, temporarily disarming him. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026

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