drowned
ˈdrau̇nd 
; drowning
ˈdrau̇-niŋ
; drowning
ˈdrau̇-niŋ
: to become drowned
fell in the river and drowned
chicken drowning in barbecue sauce
drowning in paperwork
1
2
: to engage (oneself) deeply and strenuously
drowned himself in work
3
: to cause (a sound) not to be heard by making a loud noise
—usually used with out
turned up the radio to drown out the noise
4
a
: to drive out (something, such as a sensation or an idea)
drowned his sorrows in liquor
b
: overwhelm
was drowned in homework
Examples of drown in a Sentence
Four people drowned in the flood.
She fell in the river and drowned.
She claims that he tried to drown her.
He tried to drown himself.
The river overflowed, drowning whole villages.
The food was drowned in sauce.
The loud music drowned the sound of their conversation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Hundreds of caribou have drowned after breaking through the ice.
—
Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
New founders often drown prospects in features, not value.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Cause of death: There are several causes of death because Ulric receives the nine lives of a cat: shot in the head, drowned, hanged, car crash, electrocuted, crossbow, stabbed, suffocated after burying himself alive.
Sad or satisfying?
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 19 May 2025
By keeping it filled with water, any ants that head for the nectar will drown.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drown
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
New founders often drown prospects in features, not value.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Cause of death: There are several causes of death because Ulric receives the nine lives of a cat: shot in the head, drowned, hanged, car crash, electrocuted, crossbow, stabbed, suffocated after burying himself alive.
Sad or satisfying?
—Carrie Wittmer, Vulture, 19 May 2025
By keeping it filled with water, any ants that head for the nectar will drown.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drown
Cite this Entry
“Drown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drown. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
drown
verb
drowned
ˈdrau̇nd
; drowning
ˈdrau̇-niŋ
; drowning
ˈdrau̇-niŋ
1
: to suffocate in water or some other liquid
2
: to suffocate because of excess of body fluid that interferes with the passage of oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues (as in pulmonary edema)
: to suffocate by submersion especially in water
drowned three kittens
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