Meaning & use
U-boat
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Meaning
nouncountablemilitary
A German military submarine, especially one used in the First or Second World War.
Grammar: Countable noun; plural is U-boats.
Patterns
- a U-boat
- U-boats
During World War I, U-boats attacked merchant ships in the Atlantic.
The convoy was protected by destroyers hunting for U-boats.
He wrote a book about life aboard a German U-boat.
Word forms
| plural | U-boats |
|---|
Common combinations
- German U-boat
- The German U-boat surfaced to attack the cargo ship.
- U-boat campaign
- The U-boat campaign aimed to cut Britain's supply lines.
- U-boat threat
- The U-boat threat forced the navy to change its tactics.
- sink a U-boat
- The destroyer managed to sink a U-boat with depth charges.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: U-boat or submarine?
U-boat vs submarine
Submarine is the general word for any underwater boat; U-boat is only for German ones, especially in the World Wars.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'U-boat' correctly?
Choose one answer.
U-boat refers specifically to a German military submarine, so 'German U-boat' is correct. American submarines are not called U-boats, and a U-boat is not an aircraft or a tank.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “U-boat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.