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.

See Examples For:

run aground

Spurs have been run aground from top to bottom.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026

In May it was widely reported that a container ship called MSC Antonia had run aground in the Red Sea after a suspected GPS spoofing attack.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2025

“What remains missing is tangible progress towards succession to give investors sufficient confidence that the company will not run aground after Iger departs, and in doing so, avoid future mutinies.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 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 punt would not have left the bank or, if it had, would have run aground or been fouled by weeds or some other obstruction.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

run aground

Example Sentences

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