drown
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to kill by submerging under water or other liquid.
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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
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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
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to render (a sound) inaudible by making a loud noise
Other Word Forms
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.
Before she can even think about the ramifications, word gets out and everyone else’s opinions drown out Pepper’s own wishes.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
The result is a deepening crisis of trust as hyper-realistic AI fabrications compete for attention with -- and often drown out -- authentic images and videos.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
For others, like cacti and succulents, Clare says we mistakenly drown them by unnecessarily watering them.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
That can be done as simply as bombarding a drone or rocket with signals that drown out the connection to their operator or satellite guidance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
She would merely drown, and her spirit would wander without any hope of rejoining her relatives.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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.
