underwater

adjective

un·​der·​wa·​ter ˌən-dər-ˈwȯ-tər How to pronounce underwater (audio)
-ˈwä-
1
: lying, growing, worn, performed, or operating below the surface of the water
underwater plants
2
: being below the waterline of a ship
3
a
: having, relating to, or being a mortgage loan for which more is owed than the property securing the loan is worth
b
: having, relating to, or being a stock option for which the price of the option is higher than the current market value of the stock
underwater adverb

Examples of underwater in a Sentence

underwater plants don't require as much light to grow as surface plants a vessel designed for underwater exploration
Recent Examples on the Web Biscayne National Park is 95 percent underwater, including the Florida Reef, which is the only living coral barrier reef in the United States. Jessica Poitevien, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 Orcas can hold their breath up to 15 minutes underwater, but usually surface every 3 to 5 minutes when doing deeper dives. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024 In the end, Bongiovi performed the underwater proposal with a different ring, presenting Brown with her moms ring back on the boat. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Sweden’s Saab Group is exporting underwater drones to a host of countries worried about naval mines, like Kuwait. Ariel Cohen, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The public lake in Grant County, West Virginia, is deep and clear, and Smith spotted the fish a few feet underwater at 7:30 a.m. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 28 Feb. 2024 Ocean secrets Scientists first heard whale songs underwater more than 50 years ago, and how the leviathans produce these reverberating sounds has long mystified researchers — until now. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 24 Feb. 2024 Related:Whiteland student was underwater 52 minutes before discovered; family calls for changes The Johnson County Prosecutor’s office determined in July, after an investigation, that school employees violated no criminal laws. Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2024 The work of removing dams on the Klamath River is continuing, and the draining of reservoirs is exposing lands that have been underwater for many years. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'underwater.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of underwater was in 1627

Dictionary Entries Near underwater

Cite this Entry

“Underwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/underwater. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

underwater

adjective
un·​der·​wa·​ter ˈən-dər-ˈwȯt-ər How to pronounce underwater (audio)
-ˈwät-
: lying, growing, worn, performed, or operating below the surface of the water
underwater plants
an underwater cave
underwater
-ˈwȯt-
-ˈwät-
adverb

Legal Definition

underwater

adjective
un·​der·​wa·​ter
1
: owing more on a mortgage loan than the property securing the loan is worth
underwater homeowners
2
: being or relating to a mortgage loan in which more is owed than the property securing the loan is worth
underwater mortgages
underwater properties

More from Merriam-Webster on underwater

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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