underwater
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.located or happening below the surface of the water.
adj.situated, occurring, or used beneath the surface of a body of water.
Simple“The divers found an underwater cave filled with colourful fish.”
In context“The research team deployed an underwater drone to map the coral reef without disturbing the delicate ecosystem.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a loan where you owe more money than the item is currently worth.
adj.having negative equity, specifically when the balance of a loan exceeds the current market value of the asset securing it.
Simple“After the housing market crashed, many families found their homes were underwater.”
In context“The bank struggled to manage a portfolio of underwater mortgages as property values in the region continued to decline.”
UsageCommonly used to describe mortgages or car loans during a market crash.
Synonymsnegative equity - 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.describing a financial deal that is currently not profitable to use.
adj.referring to an option whose strike price is higher than the current market price for calls, or lower for puts.
Simple“His stock options went underwater after the company's poor earnings report.”
In context“The executive's compensation package lost much of its appeal when the majority of his stock options became underwater during the recession.”
Synonymsout of the moneyAntonymsin the money - 04 A2 Elementary
adv.moving or staying below the surface of the water.
adv.in a manner that goes or remains beneath the water's surface.
Simple“She can swim underwater for nearly two minutes without taking a breath.”
In context“The submarine travelled underwater for several days to avoid detection by surface vessels.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.the water that is deep below the surface.
n.the body of water located beneath the surface layer, such as in an aquifer or deep ocean.
Simple“Scientists are studying the underwater in the Arctic to see how it changes.”
In context“The contamination of the underwater in the local aquifer posed a significant threat to the town's long-term supply of drinking water.”
Synonymsgroundwatersubsurface water
From under (preposition) + water.
From under- + water.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.