verb
drown
drown
verb
1
To die, or to kill, by being unable to breathe underwater.
"The lifeguard rescued a swimmer before he could drown."
"The garden was drowned by days of heavy rain."
2
To overwhelm or completely cover, often used figuratively.
"Her voice was drowned out by the roaring crowd."
"He tried to drown his sorrows after the breakup."
How to Use Drown
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo die from being submerged in water without air, or, figuratively, to be completely overwhelmed or covered by something.
Common pairings
drown out
drown your sorrows
nearly drowned
Word Forms
drowned past tense, Drowns plural, drowns singular
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Etymology
Of uncertain origin, though likely shaped by influence from Old Norse drukkna, a related word for the same idea.