submarine
Americannoun
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submarines
plural
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a vessel that can be submerged and navigated under water, usually built for warfare and armed with torpedoes or guided missiles.
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something situated or living under the surface of the sea, as a plant or animal.
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Chiefly Northeastern and North Midland U.S. a hero sandwich.
adjective
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situated, occurring, operating, or living under the surface of the sea.
a submarine mountain.
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of, relating to, or carried on by a submarine or submarines.
submarine warfare.
verb (used without object)
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to participate in the operating of a submarine.
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to move or slide under something.
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Slang.
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to be thrown under the steering wheel of the vehicle one is driving during a frontal crash.
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to be thrown out of one's seat belt in such a crash.
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verb (used with object)
noun
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Often shortened to: sub. a vessel, esp one designed for warfare, capable of operating for protracted periods below the surface of the sea
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(modifier)
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of or relating to a submarine
a submarine captain
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occurring or situated below the surface of the sea
a submarine cable
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Regionalisms
See hero sandwich.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of submarine
1640–50; 1895–1900 submarine for def. 1; sub- + marine
Explanation
If you're in the Navy, a submarine is a military ship that goes under the water. If you're hungry, it's a type of sandwich. This word mainly refers to a vessel that travels underwater and is armed with torpedoes — also known as a U-boat. But you can submarine someone by attacking them with a submarine or bringing them down with a blow to the legs. A disappointment can submarine — or sink — your hopes and dreams. In the kitchen, a submarine is what you call a long, crusty sandwich filled with meats and cheese — also known as a sub, grinder, hero, or hoagie.
Vocabulary lists containing submarine
Power Prefix: sub-
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World War I
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"Hitching a Ride"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Researchers at Pew, for example, asked respondents in one survey if they were licensed to operate a type of nuclear submarine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
South Korea’s Hanwha has made a nonbinding offer valued at more than $1 billion to buy Austal USA, a builder of ships and submarine parts for the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
It also supplies submarine modules to General Dynamics Electric Boat for the construction of Virginia‑ and Columbia‑class submarines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Goodwin's mechanical engineering division is a key supplier of components to UK and US frigate and submarine programmes.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Perhaps we will never know the cause for the demise of the submarine and its crew.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Scientific and commercial voyages can yield data about natural resources awaiting below melting ice caps and information for positioning nuclear-armed submarines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
His diesel engines powered factories, mills, merchant ships, tankers, submarines and warships.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
The results may also apply to other demanding environments, including submarines, offshore oil platforms, and remote research stations.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
The project to replace existing nuclear submarines will receive £8.4bn to support progress towards getting the new vessels ready for service.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
I wanted to be able to tell Henrik exactly what my father knew about the submarines.
From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor
The historical odds will be against the Nets, who have been submarined by Durant’s January knee sprain, Harden’s February departure and Irving’s part-time availability because of his unvaccinated status.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 28, 2022
Theoretically, those Sunday figures could be submarined by a handful of meaningless rounds where Finau was never in the tournament mix.
From Golf Digest ● Feb. 3, 2020
Watt submarined under Havenstein and sacked Goff for an eight-yard loss on a second-and-nine play late in the second quarter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2019
You can imagine my disappointment when the performance was submarined by a microphone mishap, one that introduced unexpected, tinny plonks to the mix and seemingly pushed the British star out of tune.
From The Verge ● Feb. 16, 2016
"But if we were submarined," the captain pointed out, "the papers would go to the bottom."
From The Box with Broken Seals by E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim
The Cyclones shot 32% in the second half, submarining their own cause further by turning the ball over 18 times.
From Fox News ● Mar. 26, 2022
Quisenberry, a submarining closer with a world-class wit, won five Rolaids Relief Man awards for the Royals in the 1980s.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2022
Chicago had the bases loaded with one out when submarining right-hander Tyler Rogers caught Willson Contreras looking at an 84 mph fastball on a 3-2 count.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 12, 2021
Wall’s health problems sabotaged the 2017-18 season, they are submarining the ongoing 2018-19 season, and now they threaten the 2019-20 campaign 10 months before it will officially begin.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 5, 2019
But instead I am this sphere of darkness submarining through the halls.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
