underwater
/ʌndəˈwɔːtə
/adjective & adverb
1Situated, occurring, or done beneath the surface of the water: [as adjective]: there are underwater volcanoes in the region [as adverb]: the seal spent a lot of time underwater...
- We clambered out of the water after some serious underwater rock climbing.
- Well, in a landscape so void of life above water, the underwater contrast is huge.
- And if you go in for underwater photography, take three times as much film as you think you need.
Synonyms
undersea, submarine, sub-aquatic, subaqueous;
submerged, immersed, sunken
2chiefly US Relating to or denoting a loan with a balance that exceeds the current market value of the loan: [as adjective]: an epidemic of underwater mortgages [as adverb]: those who bought new pads in the mid-eighties were underwater for more than a decade...
- A decline in your home's value could leave you underwater - owing more than your home is worth.
- With more than half of all stock options granted in the '90s underwater, you can bet the boss is finding other ways to get paid.
- If these borrowers ever get underwater on their mortgages, they will almost certainly pull back on spending, turn risk averse and generally retrench.
