What does "submarine" mean?
A boat that can go underwater.
Submarine
/sʌb.məˈɹin/ adj, noun, verb, slang
adj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A boat that can go underwater.
- Grammar: submarine is listed as adj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: grinder, hoagie, sub, air cylinder.
- Useful contrasts: above water, above-water activities, aerial.
- Usage evidence: A submarine cable was laid between the two countries.
How to use "submarine"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "submarine" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "submarine" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "submarine" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "submarine" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "submarine" is acting as adj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "grinder" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "submarine", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A boat that can go underwater.
"Me: *staring out window* looks like rain Submarine captain: what Me: but like more"
- 2 a submersible warship usually armed with torpedoes wordnet
- 3 A kind of sandwich made in a long loaf of bread.
- 4 a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States wordnet
- 5 A pitch delivered with an underhand motion.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Any submarine plant or animal.
- 7 A stowaway on a seagoing vessel. informal
Verb
- 1 To operate or serve on a submarine. intransitive
- 2 attack by submarine wordnet
- 3 To torpedo; to destroy with a sudden sneak attack. transitive
"“We’re really at the point of chicken, where the Fed is trying to ward off inflation without submarining the economy.”"
- 4 control a submarine wordnet
- 5 To sink or submerge oneself. figuratively, intransitive, sometimes
"The second their center snapped the ball, I submarined between the big guy's legs and tackled the halfback."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 bring down with a blow to the legs wordnet
- 7 To slide forwards underneath one's seat belt (during a crash or sudden stop). intransitive
"The seatback should always be up while driving so that the occupant doesn't submarine and potentially suffer severe internal injury."
- 8 throw with an underhand motion wordnet
- 9 move forward or under in a sliding motion wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Being, relating to, or made for use underwater, especially beneath the sea. not-comparable
"Near-synonym: submerged (synonymous in "being underwater" sense)"
- 2 Hidden or undisclosed. not-comparable
"a submarine patent"
- 3 Of a pitch, thrown with the hand lower than the elbow. not-comparable
"When Peterson saw the unusual pitching motion of Kent Tekulve—the submarine pitcher who threw baseballs as though they were coming right out of the rubber slab on the mound—he was the first of many who tried to change Tekulve's delivery."
Adjective
- 1 beneath the surface of the sea wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"A submarine cable was laid between the two countries."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "submarine"?
Common synonyms include: grinder, hoagie, sub, air cylinder, aqua lung, aqua-lung.
How do you use "submarine" in a sentence?
A submarine cable was laid between the two countries.
How do you pronounce "submarine"?
Pronounced /sʌb.məˈɹin/.
Etymology
From sub- + marine.