drown
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to kill by submerging under water or other liquid.
-
to destroy or get rid of by, or as if by, immersion.
He drowned his sorrows in drink.
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to flood or inundate.
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to overwhelm so as to render inaudible, as by a louder sound (often followed byout ).
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to add too much water or liquid to (a drink, food, or the like).
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to slake (lime) by covering with water and letting stand.
verb phrase
verb
-
to die or kill by immersion in liquid
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(tr) to destroy or get rid of as if by submerging
he drowned his sorrows in drink
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(tr) to drench thoroughly; inundate; flood
-
to render (a sound) inaudible by making a loud noise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
drownsimple
-
drownssimple
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have drownedperfect
-
has drownedperfect
-
am drowningprogressive
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are drowningprogressive
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is drowningprogressive
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have been drowningperfect progressive
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has been drowningperfect progressive
Past
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drownedsimple
-
had drownedperfect
-
was drowningprogressive
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were drowningprogressive
-
had been drowningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of drown
1250–1300; Middle English drounnen, Old English druncnian, perhaps by loss of c between nasals and shift of length from nn to ou
Explanation
The verb drown means to die from inhaling water into the lungs and being unable to breathe. It is possible to drown in even a small amount of water, so it's important to learn proper water safety. You can also use this verb with a direct object: for example, a flash flood might drown animals that live near a river. You can drown things in a less literal way as well. If you drink alcoholic beverages to forget your troubles, for example, you can say you're trying to "drown your sorrows." If you're submerged in a tidal wave of school assignments, then you are "drowning in work."
Vocabulary lists containing drown
"Old World New World" and "The Log of Christopher Columbus"
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Spelling Practice 2, Unit 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In Leicestershire, the family of a teenage boy who became the latest to drown while swimming in open water during the hot weather paid tribute to him.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
So instead, firefighters are blasting a constant stream of water into the belly of the warehouse, hoping to drown out the flames.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
Even when overnight wealth just seems too easy and know-nothings have the confidence of experts, it’s human nature to join the crowd and drown out warnings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
There’s also plenty of time for more damaging stories to drown out that message.
From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026
“They drown before I can reach them. It is my nightmare, my destiny, my fate to search endlessly for them by night only to find them drowned with the sigh of morning.”
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
