underwater

• (predicate adjective and adverb): under water
• under-water

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ʌndə(ɹ)ˈwɔːtə/
• (General American) enPR: ŭndərwôʹtər, IPA^(key): /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

From under (preposition) +‎ water.

underwater (comparative more underwater, superlative most underwater)

1. (not comparable) Beneath the surface of the water; of or pertaining to the region beneath the water surface.

   Watch out for underwater obstacles.

   He was a pioneer in underwater exploration.

2. (nautical) Beneath the water line of a vessel.

   When the ship was brought into dry dock, it was found that she had underwater damage.

3. (figuratively) In difficulty, especially financially.
4. (finance) Having negative equity; owing more on an asset than its market value.

   We've been underwater on our mortgage ever since the housing crash.

   • 2013 May 13, Underwater (Bates Motel), episode 9 (Television), spoken by Matt Bronstein (Matthew MacCaull), via A&E:

     You're underwater. The best thing you can do is just walk away. Let the bank take it back.

5. (finance) Of an option, having a strike price higher (call options) or lower (put options) than the current market price of the underlying asset or financial product; for example, an option to buy shares at $20 when the current market price is $15.

• (beneath the water surface): subaqueous, subaquatic, submarine
• (having negative equity): upside down

• above water, above-water

• keep one's head above water
• underground
• underseas

underwater (comparative more underwater, superlative most underwater)

1. So as to go beneath the surface of the water.

   Can you swim underwater?

underwater (plural underwaters)

1. Underlying water or body of water, for example in an aquifer or the deep ocean.
2. (fishing) A type of lure which lies beneath the water surface.
   • 1923, Sheridan R. Jones, Bait Casting: The Short Rod and How to Use It‎^[1], page 57:

     Practically all wobbling underwaters will take fish aplenty in the hands of a man who really knows how to put them through their stints.

From under- +‎ water.

• under-water

underwater (third-person singular simple present underwaters, present participle underwatering, simple past and past participle underwatered)

1. (agriculture, horticulture, transitive) To water or irrigate insufficiently.

   Care must be taken not to underwater houseplants in the summer.

   • 2021 July 22, “Is Your Plant Overwatered or Underwatered?”, in Sustained Kitchen‎^[2]:

     If your plant is wilting, this could be another sign of overwatering or underwatering.

• overwater

• unwatered

•   underwater on Wikipedia.Wikipedia