Drown your fears/loneliness/sorrows, etc.
verb
To engage in an activity, often drinking alcohol, to forget about your feelings of fear, loneliness, sorrow, and similar emotions.
After his wife left him, he tried to drown his sorrows in bottles of whiskey.
Often appears as...
- drown his sorrows
- drown her fears
Usage tips
Informal
Idiomatic
verb
To immerse one's self in a specific activity to forget or avoid fearful or distressful emotions.
She drowned her fears in work, making sure she was always busy to forget about her problems.
Often appears as...
- drown in work
- drown in hobbies
verb
To engage in an activity, often drinking alcohol, to forget about your feelings of fear, loneliness, sorrow, and similar emotions.
After his wife left him, he tried to drown his sorrows in bottles of whiskey.
Often appears as...
- drown his sorrows
- drown her fears
Usage tips
Informal
Idiomatic
verb
To immerse one's self in a specific activity to forget or avoid fearful or distressful emotions.
She drowned her fears in work, making sure she was always busy to forget about her problems.
Often appears as...
- drown in work
- drown in hobbies
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Escape
Used to describe escaping feelings in a potentially harmful way, often linked to excess.
Jim was drowning his sorrows with gambling and late nights out.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Literal
The phrase is metaphorical and doesn't involve real water, but rather a symbol of being overwhelmed.
To drown her loneliness, she lost herself in a sea of partying every weekend.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Usually suggests an unhealthy approach that may overlook dealing with the underlying issue.
He would drown his fears in the loud music at clubs, ignoring his need for help.
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