submerge

American  

[suhb-murj] / səbˈmɜrdʒ /

verb (used with object)

submerged, submerging

1. to put or sink below the surface of water or any other enveloping medium.

   Synonyms:

   submerse

2. to cover or overflow with water; immerse.

   Synonyms:

   engulf, inundate, flood

3. to cover over; suppress; conceal; obscure; repress.

   His aspirations were submerged by the necessity of making a living.

---

verb (used without object)

submerged, submerging

1. to sink or plunge under water or beneath the surface of any enveloping medium.

2. to be covered or lost from sight.

submerge British  

/ səbˈmɜːs, səbˈmɜːdʒ, səbˈmɜːʃən /

verb

1. to plunge, sink, or dive or cause to plunge, sink, or dive below the surface of water, etc

2. (tr) to cover with water or some other liquid

3. (tr) to hide; suppress

4. (tr) to overwhelm, as with work, difficulties, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• resubmerge verb
• submergence noun
• unsubmerging adjective

Etymology

Origin of submerge

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin submergere, equivalent to sub- sub- + mergere “to dip, immerse”; merge

Example Sentences

James Winslade, a beef and arable farmer from Somerset, has seen more than 90% of his farm submerged in the recent rains, and said he is days away from losing his crops to rot.

From BBC

The bus would be completely submerged within minutes.

From Literature

First, the Coens submerge us headfirst into the cold netherworld of a Minnesota winter, where criminals hope that a dusting of fresh, frosty powder will cover their tracks.

From Salon

More typically and woefully, our parents submerge it.

From Salon

I couldn’t see the lights from the lakeside settlements anymore, but I dimly made out dark shapes sticking up through the water—submerged trees!

From Literature

Related Words

• deluge
• douse
• drench
• drown
• engulf
• flood
• immerse
• inundate
• overflow
• overwhelm
• sink
• subside
• swamp