underwater

American  

[uhn-der-waw-ter, -wot-er] / ˈʌn dərˈwɔ tər, -ˈwɒt ər /

adjective

1. existing or occurring under water.

2. designed to be used under water.

3. located below a ship's waterline.

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adverb

1. beneath the water.

   to travel underwater.

noun

1. the water beneath the surface.

   cold currents in the underwater.

2. underwaters, the depths, as of a sea, lake, etc.

underwater British  

/ ˈʌndəˈwɔːtə /

adjective

1. being, occurring, or going under the surface of the water, esp the sea

   underwater exploration

2. nautical below the water line of a vessel

3. (of a stock option or other asset) having a market value below its purchase value

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adverb

1. beneath the surface of the water

Etymology

Origin of underwater

First recorded in 1620–30; under- + water

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

underwater

The car had flipped during the crash, leaving most of the vehicle upside down and underwater, according to a photo shared from the scene.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Hilton’s favorability rating is underwater, with 39% of likely voters viewing him favorably and 50% unfavorably.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

When Belgian underwater photographer Stefan Panis discovered a bottle buried in a shipwreck off the coast of Dover in 2025, he had no idea what he had found.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

“The precise mechanisms of holding one’s breath, letting air out, and submerging the body underwater are not visible in the archive,” Ms. Fernando notes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Our robot marched through the underwater town until she came to a building that had once been a grocery store.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• submerged
• undersea