Meaning & use

Drowning

noun·Everyday

Last updated

Death or the process of dying caused by submersion in liquid that prevents breathing; figuratively, a state of being overwhelmed.

See it in a sentence

Lifeguards are trained to recognize the quiet, often undramatic signs of drowning.

She felt like she was drowning in paperwork after taking on the new project.

A note on using this word

Real drowning rarely looks like the loud splashing shown in movies; victims are often silent because they cannot spare breath to call for help.

Words with a similar meaning

submersion

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

Causing someone or something to die or be destroyed by submersion in liquid.

The flood was drowning fields across the valley.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “Drowning”, then compare your use with the examples above.

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