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

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

From Science Daily

“So this was trying to apply aviation thinking to a deep submergence engineering problem. And we all said this was a flawed idea.”

From Seattle Times

Industry experts say they were the first known fatalities in more than 60 years of civilian deep-sea submergence.

From Reuters

But this is a book for deep submergence, not quick flipping.

From New York Times

Francis later said he had become resigned to the pledge being published anonymously in the magazine in 1892, and his subsequent career as an advertising executive “only strengthened the habit of personal submergence.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• deluge
• flash flood
• overabundance
• torrent