Word
aground
US/əˈɡɹaʊnd/
UK/ɐɡɹˈaʊnd/
Nautical
Definition
adj. stuck on the bottom of a river, lake, or sea. You use this when a boat or ship cannot move because it is caught on sand or rocks.
adj. resting on or stuck to the bottom of a body of water. Often used predicatively after a linking verb or as a participial adjective.
Examples
“The small boat is stuck aground on the sand.”
“The captain realized the ship was aground after the tide went out and the hull scraped against the rocks.”
“The vessel became aground during the sudden storm, forcing the crew to wait for the rising tide to free the hull before continuing their journey.”
Examples
simple
“The small boat is stuck aground on the sand.”
contextual
“The captain realized the ship was aground after the tide went out and the hull scraped against the rocks.”
complex
“The vessel became aground during the sudden storm, forcing the crew to wait for the rising tide to free the hull before continuing their journey.”
Real-World Examples
“Ice islands from Petermann may instead travel farther before running aground.” “A move to Besiktas which ran aground when he was forced to take action against the club (twice) for unpaid wages.” Etymology
From Middle English agrounde, on grounde (“on ground”), equivalent to a- + ground.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/aground