ENGLISH
REFERENCE

drowned

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈdɹaʊnd// UK //dɹˈaʊnd// drowned

v. to die because you have been underwater and cannot breathe. It can also mean to kill someone or something by holding them under water.

v. to die through submersion in and inhalation of water or another liquid; to kill by such means. The past tense and past participle form of 'drown'.


SIMPLE

The heavy rain drowned the young plants in the garden.

CONTEXTUAL

The lifeguard jumped into the pool to save the child who had nearly drowned after falling into the deep end.

COMPLEX

Historical records suggest that the ancient village was completely drowned when the valley was flooded to create the new reservoir, leaving only the church spire visible above the surface.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is used both transitively and intransitively.

Pitfall

He was drowned in the lakeHe drowned in the lakeLearners often use the passive voice for accidental deaths, but 'drowned' is usually used in the active voice unless someone was intentionally killed by another person.

© 2026 English Reference