MEANING
To die, or cause death, through respiratory impairment from submersion in liquid.
Use it for
A body overwhelmed by liquid; lethal submersion; rescue interrupted by a hidden attackerKeep the water's interference with breathing central rather than treating any immersion as drowning.
Words that belong together
- drown in a tank
- drowned victim
- nearly drown
On the page
The captive drowned in the flooded chamber.
The creature tried to drown her by pulling her beneath the surface.
He nearly drowned before the rescuers reached the tank.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- drown / drowns
- Past tense
- drowned
- Past participle
- drowned
- Present participle
- drowning
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- drown / drowns
- Present continuous
- am/is/are drowning
- Present perfect
- have/has drowned
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been drowning
- Past
- drowned
- Past continuous
- was/were drowning
- Past perfect
- had drowned
- Past perfect continuous
- had been drowning
- Future
- will drown / drowns
- Future continuous
- will be drowning
- Future perfect
- will have drowned
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been drowning
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Not merely being wet or underwater briefly. Clinical drowning terminology can include nonfatal outcomes, so specify survival when using a medical account. Verb [base, third-person present, past, past participle, -ing]: drown, drowns, drowned, drowned, drowning.
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