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:
No action is to be taken against an Iranian man who tried to enter the Faslane nuclear submarine base earlier this year.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
Our first Columbia-class submarine won’t conduct a deterrent patrol until 2030.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
UC-30 was carrying 18 mines and six torpedoes, leaving the submarine packed with explosives.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
Just over a month prior, China had test-fired a submarine ballistic missile with a dummy nuclear warhead with the capacity to reach the U.S. from Chinese coastal waters, raising alarms across the Pacific region.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
It once served as a hospital ship but was most recently used as barracks for a submarine training school.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
Plans for the new docks were first set out in 2023 and are expected to upgrade Faslane's facilities for the next generation of British submarines.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
It has no long-range military radar, no combat aircraft, no air defenses and no ability to detect hostile submarines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Germany had a smaller surface fleet than Britain, so submarines became an important part of its strategy.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
"How are we going to be at war with Canada? They're going to take their two set submarines from the Edmonton Mall and sic them on us?"
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
The report discussed three possible military applications for fissionable uranium: dropping radioactive materials over enemy territory; generating power for submarines and other oceangoing vessels; and development of a bomb based on U-235.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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
A strained shoulder capsule submarined his comeback hopes in 2019.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 13, 2020
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 remember when you left Petersburg in 1918 I told you that you would be submarined, but here you are back again safely.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, May 26, 1920 by Various
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.
