French word

submerger

Pronunciation

IPA/sybmɛʁʒe/

Meaning

  • verbsubmerge

Example

Le bateau a été submergé par la mer après la tempête.

The boat was submerged by the sea after the storm.

Illustration for submerger (submerge)

More examples

Une grosse vague peut submerger la digue.

A big wave can submerge the seawall.

Core concept

A force covers and bears down on its target until the target is fully submerged or overwhelmed.

Common phrases

  • submerger la côte

    submerge the coast

  • submerger un quartier

    submerge a neighborhood

  • submerger quelqu'un de messages

    overwhelm someone with messages

Similar words

accabler: Causes suffering by imposing a heavy burden or responsibility.
déborder: Leaves someone unable to keep up with an excess of work or tasks.
engloutir: Completely engulfs someone or something in a mass of material or emotion.
noyer: Buries someone under excess demands, leaving them unable to act.

Definition in French

Envoyer ou faire descendre quelque chose dans l'eau ou un autre liquide; s'emploie aussi pour dire qu'une chose ou une personne est totalement accablée.

Word origin

Submerger entered French from Latin submergere and retained its concrete sense of putting under water before acquiring its broader sense of overwhelming.

Usage tips

  • The final -ger keeps the soft French sound of j in submerger, as in manger, rather than a hard g sound.

Other meanings

  • overwhelmverb

Opposites

Related words

  • submergésubmergedadjective
  • submersionsubmersionnoun

Word lists with this word