# drown

/ˈdɹaʊn/ (US) · /dɹˈaʊn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drown
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to die in water

verb · CEFR B1

to die because you are underwater and cannot breathe.

For teachers: to die from suffocation while immersed in water or another liquid. This sense is typically intransitive.

- The coast guard warned that people could drown if they swam during the storm.
- Tragically, several passengers drowned when the ferry capsized in the rough waters of the channel before rescue teams could arrive.

Usage: The verb is intransitive when the subject is the person dying.

### 2. to kill with water

verb · CEFR B2

to kill a person or animal by holding them under water.

For teachers: to cause death by suffocating a person or animal in water or another liquid. This sense is transitive and requires a direct object.

- In the old story, the villain tried to drown the hero in a locked room filling with water.
- The historical records suggest that the invaders would drown their captives in the river as a form of ritual execution.

Usage: This is the transitive use of the verb.

### 3. to cover with liquid

verb · CEFR B2

to cover something completely with a liquid, like sauce or water.

For teachers: to submerge or soak something thoroughly in a liquid, often to an excessive degree.

- Don't drown your salad in dressing or you won't taste the vegetables.
- The chef cautioned against drowning the delicate white fish in heavy cream, as it would mask the subtle flavours of the herbs.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'in'.

### 4. to be overwhelmed

verb · CEFR B2

to have too much of something to deal with, like work or debt.

For teachers: to be overwhelmed or inundated by a large and unmanageable amount of something. Figurative use, often appearing in the progressive 'drowning in'.

- I am drowning in paperwork and don't think I can finish it by Friday.
- Small businesses are currently drowning in debt due to the unexpected rise in interest rates and falling consumer demand.

Usage: Commonly used in the continuous form 'drowning in' followed by an uncountable noun.

### 5. to mask a sound

verb · CEFR B2

to make so much noise that another sound cannot be heard.

For teachers: to make a sound inaudible by being much louder than it. Usually used with the particle 'out'.

- The sound of the jet engine drowned out our conversation.
- The roar of the crowd effectively drowned out the referee's whistle, leading to several seconds of confusion on the pitch.

Usage: Usually functions as a phrasal verb: 'drown out'.

## Examples

- He saved the boy who was about to drown in the lake.
- The heavy rain threatened to drown the young plants in the garden if the soil did not drain quickly.
- The protagonist's voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of the approaching storm, a literal echo of the emotional turmoil currently submerging his better judgment.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.