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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.

A South Korean passenger ferry carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew has run aground on rocks off the country's south-east coast.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025

According to reports, the ship had previously run aground in 2023 but got free under its own power.

From BBC • May 22, 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

Some of these ideas will be melded into existing efforts, others will run aground because they are impractical or not allowable under contract law or current labor agreements.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 14, 2023

The captain gave him a quizzical look and answered that the ship would most certainly hit something—would run aground or into a reef.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers