run aground

ADJECTIVE

stranded

Synonyms

STRONGEST

aground ashore grounded helpless wrecked

STRONG

beached shipwrecked sidelined sidetracked

WEAK

cast away godforsaken high and dry homeless left at the altar left in the lurch out in left field passed up penniless

Antonyms

WEAK

found

VERB

come a cropper

Synonyms

WEAK

be felled fail heavily fail miserably suffer a misfortune utterly fail

VERB

fail

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break down decline fall

STRONG

abort backslide blunder deteriorate fizzle flop flounder fold founder miscarry miss slip

WEAK

back wrong horse be defeated be demoted be found lacking be in vain be ruined come to naught come to nothing fall flat fall short fall through go astray go down go down swinging go downhill go up in smoke go wrong hit bottom hit the skids lose control lose out lose status meet with disaster miss the boat play into turn out badly

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ascend go up rise

STRONG

accomplish achieve build correct develop do well succeed

WEAK

capture complete deliver earn finish gain merit obtain procure prosper reach win

VERB

miscarry

Synonyms

STRONGEST

abort fall through

STRONG

backslide blunder decline deteriorate fall fizzle flop flounder fold founder misfire miss

WEAK

back wrong horse be defeated be demoted be found lacking be in vain be ruined break down come to naught come to nothing fall flat fall short go astray go down go down swinging go downhill go up in smoke go wrong hit bottom hit the skids lose control lose out lose status meet with disaster miss fire miss the boat miss the mark play into turn out badly

Antonyms

STRONG

accomplish achieve ascend build correct develop do well go up improve rise succeed

VERB

wreck

Synonyms

STRONGEST

batter decimate demolish destroy devastate impair injure mangle mar ravage raze ruin sabotage shatter sink smash spoil torpedo trash undermine vandalize wrack

STRONG

bash break capsize crash dash dilapidate efface founder scuttle shipwreck strand subvert total

WEAK

crack up do in mess up pile up put out of commission smash up take apart take out tear up wrack up

Antonyms

STRONGEST

aid assist build construct cure enable fix grow heal help improve mend strengthen

STRONG

obey

WEAK

create repair

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The world's largest iceberg has run aground in shallow waters off the remote British island of South Georgia, home to millions of penguins and seals.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2025

The bridge’s north tower sits partly on land, and any large ship would run aground before colliding with it, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2024

In 2021, the Batuhan A had run aground as it approached a port in Canakkale province, in northwestern Turkey, and had to be towed to safety, Anadolu said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2024

Footage on social media on Saturday showed other would-be migrants jumping off a boat that had run aground in Senegal's coastal city of St Louis.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2023

I kept going, but toward the head of the creek, a marsh taken over by a patch of tall phragmites warned of shallow water, and I turned the boat around, not wanting to run aground.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings

run aground

Example Sentences

Related Words