DROWN Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

drown

verb

ˈdrau̇n

Definition of drown

as in to flood

to cover with a flood whole villages drowned by the rampaging river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to soak

to wet thoroughly with liquid drowned the carpet with shampoo, and so it took forever to dry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to wet

to make wet cooked pasta drowned in marinara sauce

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of drown Kiser’s older son, Trigg, 3, drowned in a pool at the family’s Arizona home in May 2025, police said at the time. — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026 This strategy gives songs time to find an audience and take hold without being drowned out by an influx of summer releases. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026 The appeal seems to be in slowing down and finding something soothing in a world where algorithms drown out personal tastes and push alerts send our nervous systems into overdrive. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026 Residents of the Muncie area saw streets, country roads, sidewalks and highways drowned by rain. — Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drown

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drown

Verb

Since the first attack July 18 in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and in the southwestern Tambov region, Wildberries depots burned one after another in massive fires that flooded social media.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of flood

Verb

Tropical Storm Lala is already soaking Hawaii’s Big Island and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane, prompting a rare warning for what could be the island’s first hurricane landfall in 155 years.

— Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Hardy hibiscus seeds germinate more easily; soak and nick seeds before planting indoors.

— Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of soak

Verb

Arrange some small, flat stones around the puddle to give the butterflies a place to land, and then add enough water to moisten or wet the sand.

— Joan Morris, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026
Pyne argues that Mediterranean Europe, much like California, is naturally predisposed to burn because of an annual cycle of wetting and drying.

— M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of wet

Verb

Bubble sheet masks are made up of thin pieces of fabric that are saturated with a solution, which bubbles up as the mask sits on the skin.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
OpenAI’s lookbook for their capsule collection is an apparent homage to tastemaking brands like Kith and Aimé Leon Dore, two labels that turned laidback knitwear and box cut T-shirts into trends that saturated menswear in the last few years.

— T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of saturate

Verb

If there isn’t room in the dishwasher for a container and its lid, wait for the next cycle or hand wash them to ensure both top and bottom are clean at the same time.

— Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 16 Aug. 2026
The messages were created using temporary chalk and power-washing techniques, with a cleanup plan in place from the outset.

— Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of wash

Verb

But this year, the number and scale of foodborne illness outbreaks are overwhelming the system and disrupting the ability to respond.

— Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Despite this multi-layered surveillance system, Tuesday’s massive influx overwhelmed the filtration hardware, forcing operators to bring the reactors offline once again to safeguard the facilities.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of overwhelm

Verb

Its forecast offices in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Tennessee warned that rainfall across each state could be persistent and widespread, potentially drenching parts of each state with another 4 inches or more.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
While many summer nail trends are drenched in color—from butter yellow to true blue to tomato red—Jennifer Lopez is going for the exact opposite with lumière nude nails.

— Paula Oelbaum, Glamour, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of drench

Browse Nearby Words

droves

drown

drowned

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Drown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drown. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of drown

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on drown

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

balmy

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes