1
as in flooding
to cover with a flood
whole villages drowned by the rampaging river
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in soaking
to wet thoroughly with liquid
drowned the carpet with shampoo, and so it took forever to dry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wetting
to make wet
cooked pasta drowned in marinara sauce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drowning
Of course, the Weeknd has long romanticized his own self-destruction, but here, as the water fills his lungs, death finally loses its glamour—there’s nothing romantic about a man incapable of or unwilling to save himself from drowning.
—
Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Now Lachlan was drowning alone.
—Gabriel Sherman, Vanity Fair, 14 Jan. 2026
Other charges accuse Yoon of manipulating the investigation into a marine’s drowning in 2023 and receiving free opinion surveys from an election broker in return for a political favor.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Following an autopsy on Tuesday, the Cook County Coroner's Office ruled Linda Brown's death a suicide by drowning, PEOPLE can confirm.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
In the national parks, drowning ranks behind only motor-vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death.
—Paige Williams, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Grover Norquist, one of the chief ideologists of modern conservatism, used to fantasize about drowning the government in the bathtub.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Investigators noted that the child had removed his shoes and said drowning was not suspected, WTVM reported.
—Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
New York — The gas pump has emerged as a rare source of relief for Americans drowning in higher prices — and that positive trend is expected to continue in 2026, regardless of the uncertainty in Venezuela.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Now Lachlan was drowning alone.
—Gabriel Sherman, Vanity Fair, 14 Jan. 2026
Other charges accuse Yoon of manipulating the investigation into a marine’s drowning in 2023 and receiving free opinion surveys from an election broker in return for a political favor.
—Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Following an autopsy on Tuesday, the Cook County Coroner's Office ruled Linda Brown's death a suicide by drowning, PEOPLE can confirm.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
In the national parks, drowning ranks behind only motor-vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death.
—Paige Williams, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Grover Norquist, one of the chief ideologists of modern conservatism, used to fantasize about drowning the government in the bathtub.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Investigators noted that the child had removed his shoes and said drowning was not suspected, WTVM reported.
—Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
New York — The gas pump has emerged as a rare source of relief for Americans drowning in higher prices — and that positive trend is expected to continue in 2026, regardless of the uncertainty in Venezuela.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowning
Verb
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Trump opened the session with a lengthy spiel suggesting that the spigots of Venezuelan oil would soon be open, flooding the market with cheap petroleum for the benefit of American taxpayers, Venezuelan citizens and big oil companies.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
-
For some, the helicopters flying overhead and protesters flooding the streets this week felt hauntingly familiar.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For mop and broom heads and scrub brushes, remove any debris before soaking them in a bucket of hot water, soap, and a disinfecting solution.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The 20 accommodations at this 2025 World's Best Award-winning hotel range from manor rooms and suites to freestanding villas, each individually designed and outfitted with high-end touches like soaking tubs, fireplaces, and, in select units, private courtyards or outdoor hot tubs.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Some other unconventional methods include steaming the fabric to soften the threads and then stretch, as well as wetting the garment and then pining it down at the correct size, like how crocheters stretch out granny squares.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
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Now add a blob of water, wetting some of the sand.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Exactly a year ago, Pratt and Montag documented their family's evacuation from their Palisades home on social media, sharing security camera footage that showed the fire approaching and engulfing their desk.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the basement level before engulfing the upper floor.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But Starbucks is now struggling, and its strategy of saturating urban areas to draw coffee drinkers on their way to work in the morning has backfired amid competition, the rise of remote work and rising costs.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
29 Dec. 2025
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For occasional deep refreshes, coarse salt or baking soda can help lift stains without saturating the wood.—
Bridget Shirvell,
Martha Stewart,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The checklist for cleaning the kitchen was probably just washing dirty dishes, wiping down countertops, and mopping the floors.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Maintain good foot hygiene by washing feet at least daily.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Solid intros from presenters like Wanda Sykes, Don Cheadle, and Zoë Kravitz were memorable without overwhelming the honorees.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Small decorative items on tables or shelves add warmth and personality without overwhelming the space.—
Anyssa Roberts,
The Spruce,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As two cars appeared to weigh the cost of moving forward, a tall wave crashed down onto the road, completely drenching one of the cars, as seen in the footage captured by Carmelo Magenta.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
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This creates the cozy feeling of color drenching with a lot more texture.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drowning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowning. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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