1 B1 idiomatic neutral
To make a sound or voice impossible to hear because of a louder noise.
"The roar of the crowd drowned out the referee's whistle."
separable
drown out
B1 neutral separable transitive
To make a sound or voice impossible to hear by being louder, or to overwhelm something so it cannot be perceived.
In plain English
Make so much noise that you cannot hear another sound anymore.
What does "drown out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To cause something, such as a viewpoint or voice, to be ignored or unable to be heard in a broader context.
"Mainstream media coverage tended to drown out the voices of smaller community groups."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To submerge in water so completely that nothing can be heard.
Actually means
Make so much noise that you cannot hear another sound anymore.
Usage tip
Most commonly used with sounds, voices, or music. Also used figuratively when one thing is so dominant it prevents another from being noticed or considered. Very common in journalistic and everyday language.
Words that pair with "drown out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
voice music applause traffic protest noise signal
How to conjugate "drown out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
drown out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
drowns out
he/she/it
Past simple
drowned out
yesterday
Past participle
drowned out
have + pp
-ing form
drowning out
continuous
Hear "drown out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "drown out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "drown out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
drown mask muffle overpower overwhelm silence
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