Drown — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ˈdrau̇n/

Meaning & Definition of Drown

Drown (verb)

  1. to become drowned
  2. to suffocate by submersion especially in water
  3. to submerge especially by a rise in the water level

Drown (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cover with a flood

    "whole villages drowned by the rampaging river"

    similar: deluge, engulf, flood, gulf, inundate, overflow, overwhelm, submerge, submerse, swamp
    related: avalanche, smother, overcome, overrun, flow, flush, gush, pour, sluice, spout, spurt, stream, douse, drench, soak, wet
    opposite: drain
    near: dehydrate, dry, parch

  2. to wet thoroughly with liquid

    "drowned the carpet with shampoo, and so it took forever to dry"

    similar: drench, impregnate, macerate, saturate, soak, sodden, sop, souse, steep
    related: waterlog, water-soak, marinate, seethe, presoak, dip, immerse, inundate, submerge, swamp, bathe, douse, hydrate, swill, wash, water, infiltrate, penetrate, permeate, damp, dampen, humidify, moisten
    opposite: wring (out)
    near: dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, sear, drain, empty, void, dehumidify

  3. to make wet

    "cooked pasta drowned in marinara sauce"

    similar: bathe, bedraggle, douse, drench, soak, sodden, sop, souse, wash, water, water-soak, waterlog, wet, wet down
    related: asperse, bedew, damp, dampen, drizzle, humidify, hydrate, mist, moisten, moisturize, shower, sprinkle, deluge, flood, hose (down), inundate, overflow, submerge, swamp, splash, impregnate, saturate, steep, flush, irrigate, lave, rinse, slosh, sluice, dip, duck, dunk, rehydrate, rewash, rewet
    opposite: dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, scorch, sear
    near: dewater, evaporate, freeze-dry, drip-dry, wring, dehumidify

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Drown

The most common words with a similar meaning to Drown:

deluge, engulf, flood, gulf, inundate, overflow, overwhelm, submerge, submerse, swamp, drench, impregnate, macerate, saturate, soak, sodden, sop, souse, steep, bathe, bedraggle, douse, wash, water, water-soak, waterlog, wet, wet down

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Drown

Words with the opposite meaning of Drown:

drain, wring (out), dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, scorch, sear

Related Words for Drown

avalanche, smother, overcome, overrun, flow, flush, gush, pour, sluice, spout, spurt, stream, marinate, seethe, presoak, dip, immerse, hydrate, swill, infiltrate, penetrate, permeate, damp, dampen, humidify, moisten, asperse, bedew, drizzle, mist

Near Antonyms of Drown

empty, void, dehumidify, dewater, evaporate, freeze-dry, drip-dry, wring

Word Forms of Drown

Inflections: drowned, drowning

Origin & Etymology of Drown

Middle English drounen

First known use: 14th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Drown

Words & Phrases Containing Drown

drownd, drown one's sorrows/fears

Frequently Asked Questions about Drown

What does "Drown" mean?

"Drown" means to become drowned. As a verb, it is defined as: to become drowned. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Drown"?

Other words for "Drown" include deluge, engulf, flood, gulf, inundate, overflow, overwhelm and submerge. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Drown" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Drown"?

There are 72 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Drown". Common alternatives include deluge, engulf, flood, gulf, inundate, overflow, overwhelm, submerge, submerse and swamp.

What is the opposite of "Drown"?

Antonyms of "Drown" include drain, wring (out), dehydrate, desiccate, dry, parch, scorch and sear. Near antonyms include empty, void, dehumidify and dewater.

How do you use "Drown" in a sentence?

Examples of "Drown" in a sentence: "whole villages drowned by the rampaging river"; "drowned the carpet with shampoo, and so it took forever to dry"; "cooked pasta drowned in marinara sauce".

Is "Drown" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Drown" is a verb.

Is "Drown" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Drown" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Drown"?

"Drown" is pronounced /ˈdrau̇n/.