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.
Cut a six-inch stem tip from a healthy plant and remove all but the top two leaves, then submerge in water or pot into a small container with potting mix. — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026 Thapa said many of the bodies had remained submerged in floodwaters for about four days and were already decomposing by the time they were recovered. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 Combine 3 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled, and 1½ cups grapeseed oil in a small ovenproof saucepan (add more oil if cloves aren’t submerged). — Jeremy Fox, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026 In Nepal, images showed roads buried beneath thick layers of mud, homes partially submerged and survivors being carried or transported to safer areas. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 26 Aug. 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 1 Sep. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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