Word
drown
Meanings
to die because you cannot breathe after being under water
to kill someone or something by keeping them under water
to overwhelm a sound, voice, or feeling so it is not noticed
Definition
To drown is to die or become unable to breathe because you are underwater or surrounded by liquid.
To drown means to die because you cannot breathe after being under water or another liquid. It can also mean to make someone or something die in this way. In a broader sense, it can mean to overwhelm something so much that it cannot be heard, seen, or noticed.
Examples
- The hiker nearly drown in the fast-moving river before a guide pulled him to the bank.
- I could barely hear the announcement because the crowd would drown it out with cheering.
- She panicked when she slipped off the rock, afraid she might drown before anyone saw her.
- They warned us that even strong swimmers can drown in rip currents if they fight the current.
- The drummer started playing harder to drown the guitar, but the mix only became messier.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "drown" with "sink"—objects sink, but people and animals drown when they cannot breathe in water.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.