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
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 drowning
In contrast to typical airline food drowning in salt and sauces, the culinary offerings aboard Aero are a delight, with meals created in partnership with Erewhon, Spago, Parm, Sadelle’s and Flora Farms along with an open bar of top-shelf spirits and Veuve Clicquot champagne.
—
Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
In a separate incident, two Carnival passengers also died in drowning cases at the company’s private Bahamas resort.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Esa Lindell, Heiskanen’s primary partner, has been drowning at five-on-five, and the Stars have been outscored 5-0 with him on the ice.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Some appear to be cordially greeting viewers with a wave, while others evince the desperation of a person drowning.
—Dawn Chan, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The paramedics leaned over their patient, who had just been drowning in an indoor water park.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Within the next few years, as famine spread throughout China and the Cultural Revolution began, her grandmother and three of her brothers died of starvation, tuberculosis, and drowning.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Two 3-year-olds have died after drowning at a Crisp County home on Wednesday morning, police say.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Sam holds Rosie underwater, drowning her.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
In a separate incident, two Carnival passengers also died in drowning cases at the company’s private Bahamas resort.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Esa Lindell, Heiskanen’s primary partner, has been drowning at five-on-five, and the Stars have been outscored 5-0 with him on the ice.
—Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Some appear to be cordially greeting viewers with a wave, while others evince the desperation of a person drowning.
—Dawn Chan, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
The paramedics leaned over their patient, who had just been drowning in an indoor water park.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Within the next few years, as famine spread throughout China and the Cultural Revolution began, her grandmother and three of her brothers died of starvation, tuberculosis, and drowning.
—René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Two 3-year-olds have died after drowning at a Crisp County home on Wednesday morning, police say.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Sam holds Rosie underwater, drowning her.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowning
Verb
-
Then the Secret Service and every detail came flooding in and everybody went down.—
Calvin Woodward,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Pittsburgh had 16 prospects attend in person, but the real stars were the fans flooding the North Shore and Point State Park.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Officials say soaking rain is needed to snuff out the larger fires.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The primary suite boasts two walk-in closets and a spacious en-suite bathroom with a soaking tub.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Blot — don’t rub — and avoid over-wetting the mattress, which can lead to mold growth if moisture gets trapped inside.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Water at the base of plants instead of wetting the entire garden with a sprinkler or hose.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This anger crackles around him like a smoldering fire, igniting and engulfing everyone from the workers on his farm, his meek sister Férula (Fernanda Castillo), to Clara and, eventually, to their daughter, Blanca (Sara Becker and later Fernanda Urrejola), Alba’s idealistic mother.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
At least eight people were killed in Odesa, where video posted by the State Emergency Service, shows a fire engulfing a building and response teams carrying one casualty on a stretcher.—
Daria Tarasova-Markina,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Avoid saturating the mattress — over-wetting is one of the most common mistakes people make, and excess moisture trapped inside the mattress can lead to mold growth, creating an entirely new allergen problem.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid puddling or saturating the soil.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The next day, Nataliia was washing the landing outside of her apartment with vinegar, as advised by officials, when an evacuation order was issued.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
This includes drinking water, water used for brushing teeth, washing for washing dishes and water for food preparation, officials said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dedicating one corner of the patio to a dense cluster of plants creates a lush focal point without overwhelming the rest of the space.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Critics are also worried about the building height overwhelming the area.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Miami Beach Pride returned to Ocean Drive this weekend drenching everything with color.—
Alie Skowronski,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Embrace a color-drenching moment Small spaces and color drenching go hand in hand!—
Lindsey Mather,
Architectural Digest,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drowning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowning. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
