SM UB-72 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy () during World War I. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 9 September 1917 as SM UB-72.
UB-72 was serving in the English Channel when she was sunk by a torpedo from at on 12 May 1918.
She was built by AG Vulcan of Hamburg and following just under a year of construction, launched at Hamburg on 30 July 1917. UB-72 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-72 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a deck gun. UB-72 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of . UB-72 had a displacement of while surfaced and when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at when surfaced and when submerged.