How do you use the word "drown" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "drown": I might as well drown as starve. Let the rain drown out your sorrow.

Drown Meaning

/dɹaʊn/

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

verbTo die from suffocation while immersed in water or other fluid.

verbTo kill by suffocating in water or another liquid.

Sentence Examples

I might as well drown as starve.

Let the rain drown out your sorrow.

You won't drown if you learn how to swim.

CEFR Practice Quiz

If you cannot swim, you might ____ in the deep pool quickly.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

I might as well ____ as starve.

Word Origin & History

From Middle English drownen, drounen, drunen (“to drown”), of obscure and uncertain origin. The OED suggests an unattested Old English form *drūnian. Harper 2001 points to Old English druncnian, ġedruncnian (> Middle English drunknen, dronknen (“to drown”)), "probably influenced" by Old Norse drukkna (cf. Icelandic drukkna, Danish drukne (“to drown”)). Funk & Wagnall's has 'of uncertain origin'. It has been theorised (see e.g. ODS) that it may represent a direct loan of Old Norse drukkna, but this is described by the OED as being "on phonetic and other grounds [...] highly improbable", unless one considers the possibility of an unattested variant in Old Norse *drunkna.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Old woes, not infant sorrows, bear them mild / Continuance tames the one; the other wild, / Like an unpractised swimmer plunging still, / With too much labour drowns for want of skill." — 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:

"The pretty-vaulting sea refused to drown me, / Knowing that thou wouldst have me drown’d on shore, / With tears as salt as sea, through thy unkindness:" — 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

"Penny Guy: Bloody hell, Rog, whadda you want? / Roger O'Neill: To drown in your arms and hide in yer eyes, darlin'." — 1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 2:

"The first-century Jewish woman Miriam of Nazareth, also held in faith to be Theotokos, the God-bearer, is arguably the most celebrated woman in the Christian tradition. One could almost drown surveying the ways different eras have honored her in painting, sculpture, icons, architecture, music and poetry; venerated her with titles, liturgies, prayers and feasts; and taught about her in spiritual writings, theology and official doctrine." — 2000 June 17, Elizabeth A. Johnson, “Mary of Nazareth: Friend of God and Prophet”, in America, volume 182, number 21:

"Though most men being in sensuall pleasures drownd, / It seemes their Soules but in the Senses are." — 1599, John Davies, Nosce Teipsum, London: John Standish, page 19:

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