submergence

[ suhb-mur-juhns ]

noun

1. the act of putting or sinking something below the surface of water or any other enveloping medium, or the resulting state:

   This is a record for deepest submergence by a piloted vessel in Indian waters.

2. the act of overflowing and completely covering something with water, or the resulting state:

   Indonesia's coastal areas face the threat of flooding or even submergence due to rises in sea level.

3. the act of burying or suppressing something, or the state of being buried or suppressed:

   The army survives by enormous personal effort and submergence of the individual will for the collective welfare.

Other Words From

• non·sub·mer·gence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of submergence¹

submerge ( def ) + -ence ( def )

Example Sentences

Navy explorer who, along with the scientist Jacques Piccard, broke the record for human deep submergence by descending nearly 7 miles to the ocean’s deepest spot, died on Nov. 12 at his home in Myrtle Point, Ore. His son, Kelly, said he died sitting in his favorite chair.

From Seattle Times

Navy explorer who, along with the scientist Jacques Piccard, broke the record for human deep submergence by descending nearly seven miles to the ocean’s deepest spot, died on Nov. 12 at his home in Myrtle Point, Ore. He was 92.

From New York Times

Initial loss rates were highest for the first hour of submergence for the carpet, fleece and sports vest.

From Science Daily

“A number of the top players in the deep submergence engineering community even wrote letters to the company, saying that what they were doing was too experimental to carry passengers and that it needed to be certified.”

From Los Angeles Times

“A number of the top players in the deep submergence engineering community even wrote letters to the company, saying that what they were doing was too experimental to carry passengers and that it needed to be certified.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deluge
• flash flood
• overabundance
• torrent