ship sinking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ship sinking" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation where a ship is in the process of going underwater, often used metaphorically to indicate failure or disaster. For example, "The crew worked frantically to save the passengers from the ship sinking." Alternative expressions include "vessel going down" and "boat capsizing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

"Ship, sinking comes to mind," says Photoshop wizard Matt.

The Guardian - Sport

The submarine tore through the hull of the ship, sinking it within minutes.

The New York Times

The hull is divided into three watertight compartments by bulkheads and there was no question of the ship sinking.

The New Yorker

The Greeneville surfaced underneath the Japanese ship, sinking it and killing nine people, four of them high school students.

The Washington Post

The diplomatic maneuvers between Beijing and Pyongyang will make Seoul more desperate to find convincing evidence of North Korean involvement in the ship sinking.

The New York Times

Mr. Kim's reported travel came three days after President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea met his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, in Shanghai to discuss the ship sinking.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

4. "The ship sank.

Independent

The ship sank.

The New Yorker

And then, that ship sank, too.

The New York Times - Science

When the ship sank, she lost it.

The New York Times

The ship sank while being towed.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ship sinking" in a metaphorical context, ensure the imagery aligns with the intended meaning of failure or collapse. For example, "The company's prospects resembled a ship sinking under the weight of debt".

Common error

Avoid using "ship sinking" to describe minor setbacks; reserve it for situations of significant and irreversible decline. Using it lightly can diminish its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ship sinking" functions primarily as a noun phrase that describes an event or state of affairs. As seen in Ludwig, this can be used literally or metaphorically to depict a situation of decline.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Wiki

17%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Science

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ship sinking" is a versatile term, frequently used to describe maritime disasters or as a powerful metaphor for failure. Grammatically sound and common in diverse contexts, from news reports to literary expressions, "ship sinking" effectively conveys a sense of decline or collapse. Ludwig AI confirms its broad acceptability. While generally neutral in tone, it's important to use the phrase judiciously, reserving it for situations that genuinely warrant such a strong and vivid depiction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

vessel sinking

Replaces "ship" with a more formal synonym, "vessel".

boat sinking

Substitutes "ship" with the more general term "boat".

ship going down

Rephrases "sinking" with a more colloquial expression "going down".

maritime disaster

Replaces the descriptive phrase with a term referring to the event.

naval catastrophe

Uses more formal vocabulary to describe the event of a ship sinking.

maritime sinking

Uses the adjective "maritime" to describe the sinking.

ship capsizing

Focuses on the action of the ship overturning and potentially sinking.

vessel capsizing

Combines a formal and a description of the event.

ship foundering

Employs a more technical term for a ship sinking due to water flooding it.

ship submerging

Replaces "sinking" with a synonym that means "descending below the surface".

FAQs

How can I use "ship sinking" in a sentence?

You can use "ship sinking" to describe a literal event, as in "The news reported a /s/ship+sinking in the Pacific", or metaphorically, such as "The project's failure felt like a /s/ship+sinking after months of effort".

What are some alternatives to saying "ship sinking"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "vessel sinking", "maritime disaster", or "ship going down".

Is "ship sinking" a formal or informal expression?

"Ship sinking" is generally considered a neutral expression, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. The formality depends more on the surrounding language and the specific situation being described.

What does it mean when someone uses "ship sinking" metaphorically?

Metaphorically, "ship sinking" often refers to a situation that is failing or collapsing rapidly and irrevocably. It suggests a sense of crisis and impending doom, similar to how a real ship would descend into the ocean.