drowned with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "drowned with" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when trying to express being overwhelmed or inundated with something. Example: "I felt drowned with responsibilities after taking on the new project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

"They drowned with my trousers in their hands".

The Guardian

Alas, the manuscript in her travel desk drowned with her, only 300 yards from land.

The New York Times - Books

He said she had drowned, with another young woman who was sharing their cabin.

Independent

Whitney Houston accidentally drowned, with help from cocaine and heart disease.

The Guardian - Music

The ephemeral, delicate flavor of tuna was drowned with a brash teriyaki sauce.

The New York Times

Thirty-one sailors drowned with the Fantome, a yacht flagged by Equatorial Guinea.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

Tell them to wait for the water to come and they will drown and I will drown with them?

Harvard University

The cause of death is listed as drowning, with cardiomegaly a contributing factor.

The Washington Post

Would almost drowning with your colleagues help you become a better team player?

The New York Times

It was like deciding to commit suicide, then trying to drown with your face in the washbasin.

The New Yorker

He had a particular affinity for Picasso's work — one cartoon shows a figure borrowed from "Guernica," seemingly drowning, with the caption "Incident off the Spanish coast".

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "drowned with" to describe being overwhelmed; instead, opt for more precise and grammatically correct alternatives like "overwhelmed by" or "inundated with".

Common error

Don't use "drowned with" when you mean overwhelmed with tasks or information. This phrase often implies literal submersion, leading to confusion. Use "inundated with" or "swamped with" for abstract contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is often incorrectly used as a verb phrase with a preposition to indicate being overwhelmed or inundated. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is not considered standard English in this context. It is most accurate when describing literal drowning events.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Academia

16%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Science

12%

HuffPost

10%

Encyclopedias

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "drowned with" appears frequently, Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically incorrect in standard written English. It's commonly used to express being overwhelmed, but more precise alternatives like "overwhelmed by" or "inundated with" are preferred. Despite its prevalence in various sources, including news and academia, it's best to avoid "drowned with" in formal writing. The authoritative sources and examples provided offer context, but emphasize the need for careful word choice to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Instead of saying you are "drowned with" work, for instance, it's better to say you are "inundated with" or "overwhelmed by" work.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sunken with

Implies being submerged or overwhelmed, often in a physical sense like a ship sinking.

sunk with

Similar to "sunken with", suggesting complete submersion and loss.

sink with

A more general term for the action of going under water or being overwhelmed.

sank with

Past tense of 'sink with', describing a completed action of submerging.

immersed with

Indicates deep involvement or engagement, less about being overwhelmed and more about being surrounded.

sinking with

Present continuous tense of 'sink with', describes the act of slowly submerging

sweeps with

Suggests being carried away or overwhelmed by a force, often metaphorical.

inundated with

Indicates being flooded or overwhelmed by a large quantity of something.

overwhelmed by

Expresses a feeling of being overpowered or burdened significantly.

awash in

Suggests being covered or filled with something, often in abundance.

FAQs

Is "drowned with" grammatically correct?

No, "drowned with" is not correct in standard written English. It's often used when trying to express being overwhelmed or inundated, but this is incorrect.

What can I say instead of "drowned with"?

You can use alternatives like "overwhelmed by", "inundated with", or "swamped with" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "drowned" in a sentence?

Use "drowned" to describe the action of dying from submersion in water or another liquid, such as "He "drowned in the lake"". It's about the literal act of drowning.

What's the difference between "drowned with" and "inundated with"?

"Drowned with" is not considered standard English. "Inundated with" is correct and means to be overwhelmed with a large quantity of something, often tasks or information.