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.
-
to flood or inundate.
-
to overwhelm so as to render inaudible, as by a louder sound (often followed byout ).
-
to add too much water or liquid to (a drink, food, or the like).
-
to slake (lime) by covering with water and letting stand.
verb phrase
verb
-
to die or kill by immersion in liquid
-
(tr) to destroy or get rid of as if by submerging
he drowned his sorrows in drink
-
(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
-
have drownedperfect
-
has drownedperfect
-
am drowningprogressive
-
are drowningprogressive
-
is drowningprogressive
-
have been drowningperfect progressive
-
has been drowningperfect progressive
Past
-
drownedsimple
-
had drownedperfect
-
was drowningprogressive
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Spelling Practice 2, Unit 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
See Examples For:
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
There’s also plenty of time for more damaging stories to drown out that message.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
Students debate whether artificial intelligence will drown them in slop or help them advance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Everywhere he has shown the film, audiences have responded in largely the same way, often laughing so loudly they drown out lines of dialogue.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
I’d heard once that your whole life flashes before you when you drown, but my thoughts were simple.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
It buys prestige, photographs, the roar that drowns out everything the host would rather you not hear.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
“As much as they say it’s about free speech, it actually drowns out speech.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2026
She simply drowns them out with the sound machine as she drifts into a deep sleep.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 17, 2026
"Ken-Betwa dam is built by the government, it gives others water but drowns us," they sang, the lyrics capturing their anguish.
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2025
The column has grown bigger and louder; it drowns out Tao’s reply.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
He received a hero’s welcome in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv after forging a tenuous Gaza ceasefire last October, visibly moved as he was drowned out by appreciative shouts of “Thank you, Witkoff!”
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
The music and cheers blur into a low hum, drowned out by the deafening sound of a ticking clock only Jack can hear.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
In June, 123 people drowned across Ukraine, including 10 in Kyiv.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
A mother whose teenage son drowned after swimming in a reservoir during hot weather has urged people to stay out of open water, saying she does not want another family to experience the same heartbreak.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
‘He hates fast water. His pack was drowned in a flood. But he’ll be back when we’ve found a way to get above the falls.’
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
A wave of Iranian nationalism is drowning out its diplomats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
While they escaped drowning, their dog Jack may not have been as lucky.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Her mother was a teacher before she married Charles Ingalls; her maternal grandfather died from drowning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Drowning deaths soared during the heatwave, with French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez saying on Saturday that 72 people had died by drowning since 18 June.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
I thought of my mother, drowning in all that gold.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
