drown
B2Neutral. Used in both formal and informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To die or be killed by submerging in water and inhaling it.
To overwhelm or be overwhelmed by something, especially a sound or feeling; to deliberately make a sound inaudible by being louder.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb can be transitive (e.g., drown someone/something) or intransitive (e.g., He drowned). It implies a fatal outcome unless modified (e.g., 'nearly drowned'). Figurative uses are common, especially with sounds and emotions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Potential minor spelling in derivatives: 'drowning' (both).
Connotations
Identical in core meaning. Figurative use is equally common in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + drown (intransitive)Subject + drown + Object (transitive)Subject + drown + Object + in + something (e.g., sorrow, noise)Subject + drown + Object + outVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Drown your sorrows”
- “Like a drowned rat”
- “Drown in paperwork”
- “Drown out the noise”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company was drowning in debt." (Metaphorical)
Academic
"The speaker's voice was drowned out by the protest."
Everyday
"Don't play your music so loud, you'll drown out the TV."
Technical
"The engine failure caused the vessel to founder and eventually drown." (Note: 'founder' is more precise in technical maritime contexts.)
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He fell into the canal and drowned.
- The cheers of the crowd drowned out the referee's whistle.
- She tried to drown her worries with a cup of tea.
American English
- He fell into the river and drowned.
- The traffic noise drowned out our conversation.
- He's drowning his sorrows at the bar.
adjective
British English
- The drowning man called for help.
- We heard a drowning cry.
American English
- The drowning swimmer was rescued.
- A drowning sound came from the speakers.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Be careful near the river, you could drown!
- The music is too loud, it will drown our talk.
- He nearly drowned when he was a child.
- The loud construction noise drowned out my music.
- The company is drowning in administrative paperwork.
- She felt drowned by a wave of sadness after the news.
- The politician's speech was deliberately drowned out by the chanting of the demonstrators.
- His personal ambitions were often drowned by the exigencies of family duty.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a DOWNward motion (the 'drow-' sounds like 'down') into water.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGATIVE EMOTIONS/DIFFICULTIES ARE FLOODS/LIQUIDS (e.g., 'drowning in sorrow', 'drowning in work').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'drown' for non-fatal swimming or playing in water. Use 'swim', 'bathe', or 'splash'.
- Do not confuse with 'sink' (which refers to objects going below the surface). 'Drown' is primarily for living beings dying from inhaling water.
- The phrase 'drown out' (заглушать) is a key figurative use to remember.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'The ship drowned in the storm.' (Use 'sank' for inanimate objects.)
- Incorrect: *'I like to drown in the pool on hot days.' (Use 'swim' or 'cool off' for recreational activity.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'drown' correctly in a figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, no. For ships or objects sinking, use 'sink', 'go down', or 'founder'. 'Drown' is reserved for living beings dying from water inhalation, though it can be used poetically for objects.
'Drown' refers to death by water inhalation (for people/animals). 'Sink' refers to descending below the surface of a liquid (for people, animals, or objects). A person can sink without drowning (if rescued), and an object can sink but cannot drown.
No. 'Drownded' is a common non-standard or dialectal past form. The standard past tense and past participle is 'drowned'.
It's a phrasal verb meaning to make a sound inaudible by being louder. Structure: [Louder sound] + drowns out + [quieter sound]. E.g., 'The alarm drowned out his speech.'