沈める|しずめるshizumeru[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto sink (e.g. a ship); to submerge
    彼かれらは敵てきの船ふねを10せき沈しずめた。↗
    They sank ten enemy ships.
  2. ichidan verb, transitive verbto lower (e.g. one's body into a chair)
  3. ichidan verb, transitive verbto floor (an opponent)
    彼かれはこれまでいとも簡単かんたんにたくさんの挑戦者ちょうせんしゃをリングに沈しずめてきた。↗
    He's mowed down a parade of challengers before.
Conjugation
Dictionary form沈める(しずめる)
Polite (masu)沈めます(しずめます)
Negative (nai)沈めない(しずめない)
polite (masen)沈めません(しずめません)
classical zu / nu沈めず・沈めぬ(しずめず・しずめぬ)
Past (ta)沈めた(しずめた)
polite (mashita)沈めました(しずめました)
Past negative (nakatta)沈めなかった(しずめなかった)
polite (masen deshita)沈めませんでした(しずめませんでした)
Te form沈めて(しずめて)
Potential沈められる(しずめられる)
Passive沈められる(しずめられる)
Causative沈めさせる(しずめさせる)
Causative passive沈めさせられる(しずめさせられる)
Conditional (ba)沈めれば(しずめれば)
tara沈めたら(しずめたら)
Volitional沈めよう(しずめよう)
polite (mashou)沈めましょう(しずめましょう)
Imperative沈めろ(しずめろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Transitive / intransitive pair
transitive沈めるしずめる⇄intransitive沈むしずむ
船ふねが沈しずむ
船ふねを沈しずめる
沈む focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 船が沈む; 沈める foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 船を沈める.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym埋めるうずめるNeutralBury or fill something in, as in 「顔を埋める」; the focus is on covering it up rather than making it sink.
  • Related浸すひたすNeutralImmerse something in water, egg wash, etc., as in 「パンを卵液に浸す」; the point is soaking it wet, while 「沈める」 stresses making it sink down.
  • Related押し浸すNeutralPress something down into a liquid to soak it — the stress is on pushing it under, while 「沈める」 is about making it sink or settle in.
  • Antonym浮かべるうかべるNeutralMake something float, or have an expression appear on someone's face — the opposite of making something sink.
  • AntonymあげるNeutralRaise or lift something up — the opposite of 「沈める」, which presses or sinks something down.

Use 「沈める」 for sinking a ship or lowering your body into something, as in 「船を沈める」 and 「身を沈める」. For soaking something in liquid pick 「浸す」, for burying or covering pick 「埋める」, and for making something float pick 「浮かべる」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese definitions
  1. 水中すいちゅうなどに沈しずむようにする。
  2. 身体しんたいや物体ぶったいなどを低ひくくめりこませる。
  3. 苦くるしい境遇きょうぐうにおちいらせる。
  4. ゴルフでパットを入いれる。球技きゅうぎ全般ぜんぱんでシュートを決きめる。
  5. 相手あいてをノックアウトして倒たおす。
  6. 競技きょうぎで相手あいてを負まかせる。敗退はいたいさせる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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