le noyer

The French verb "noyer" means "to drown" or "to submerge in liquid." It can be used literally or figuratively.

Literal meaning:

• Noyer quelqu'un — to cause someone to drown (as in drowning in water).
• Noyer un objet — to immerse or submerge an object in a liquid.

Example:
Il a failli se noyer dans la rivière. — He almost drowned in the river.
J'ai noyé la fleur dans l'eau. — I submerged the flower in the water.

Figurative meanings:

• To overwhelm or saturate with something, especially emotions or information:
  • Il est noyé de travail. — He is overwhelmed with work.
  • Elle est noyée dans ses pensées. — She is lost in her thoughts.

Synonyms and differences for "noyer":

• Submerger: Emphasizes the idea of something being submerged or overwhelmed, can be used in both literal (flooding) and figurative contexts; more formal or literary.
• Étouffer: Means "to suffocate," similar to drowning but focuses on difficulty breathing rather than being underwater.
• Se noyer: Reflexive - "to drown" as happening to oneself or someone in water or fig. overwhelmed.

In short, "noyer" focuses on the idea of drowning or immersing, often physically water-related but also figurative for overwhelming situations.