drown
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
-
to kill by submerging under water or other liquid.
-
to destroy or get rid of by, or as if by, immersion.
He drowned his sorrows in drink.
-
to flood or inundate.
-
to overwhelm so as to render inaudible, as by a louder sound (often followed byout ).
-
to add too much water or liquid to (a drink, food, or the like).
-
to slake (lime) by covering with water and letting stand.
verb phrase
verb
-
to die or kill by immersion in liquid
-
(tr) to destroy or get rid of as if by submerging
he drowned his sorrows in drink
-
(tr) to drench thoroughly; inundate; flood
-
to render (a sound) inaudible by making a loud noise
Other Word Forms
- drowner noun
- half-drowned adjective
- half-drowning adjective
- undrowned adjective
Etymology
Origin of drown
1250–1300; Middle English drounnen, Old English druncnian, perhaps by loss of c between nasals and shift of length from nn to ou
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The result is a deepening crisis of trust as hyper-realistic AI fabrications compete for attention with -- and often drown out -- authentic images and videos.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
For others, like cacti and succulents, Clare says we mistakenly drown them by unnecessarily watering them.
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
That can be done as simply as bombarding a drone or rocket with signals that drown out the connection to their operator or satellite guidance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
Whether to just drown out the noise, listen to music or an audiobook, they’re an integral part of my travel experience.
From Salon • Nov. 20, 2025
We’d cannonball into his pool, and he’d drown me in silly jokes, or we’d argue over Star Wars versus Star Trek and end up watching Doctor Who instead.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
