submerge

verb

sub·​merge səb-ˈmərj How to pronounce submerge (audio)
submerged; submerging
Synonyms of submerge

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 How to pronounce submerge (audio)
noun
submergible
səb-ˈmər-jə-bəl How to pronounce submerge (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of submerge

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Natural river stones are heated and submerged into the bath to release health-enhancing minerals in combination with the local Khempa herb, which infuses the water with its healing properties. — Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026 Applying weed control and fertilizer while the grass and soil are still submerged in water can also prove less effective in the long run. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026 Officials said the woman was clinging to the underside of a rock while partially submerged in the river's swift, cold water. — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026 The floods submerged about one-third of the country, killed 1,737 people and displaced millions. — ABC News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for submerge

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

Rhymes for submerge

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Browse Nearby Words

submenu
submerge
submerged
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Cite this Entry

“Submerge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/submerge. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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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

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Nglish: Translation of submerge for Spanish Speakers

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