ENGLISH
REFERENCE

drowning

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈdɹaʊnɪŋ// UK //dɹˈaʊnɪŋ// drown·ing

v. dying because you are underwater and cannot breathe. You can also use it to say you have too much of something, like work.

v. dying through submersion in and inhalation of water or another liquid. Often used metaphorically to describe being overwhelmed by an excessive amount of something.


SIMPLE

The lifeguard saved the child who was drowning in the pool.

CONTEXTUAL

I am drowning in paperwork this week and cannot take on any new projects.

COMPLEX

The small coastal village is slowly drowning under the rising sea levels caused by decades of environmental neglect.

Synonyms
Usage

The present participle of 'drown'; functions as a continuous verb form or a gerund.

Pitfall

He was drowning in the sea last year.He drowned in the sea last year.Learners often use the continuous 'drowning' to describe a completed death, but 'drowned' is required for a finished event.

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