ichidan verb, intransitive verb
drown; struggle in water; nearly drown
Literal sense: struggling in water, sinking, or being unable to breathe. Can range from 'nearly drowning' to actual drowning; context determines severity.
See also: 溺れ死ぬ
川で子どもが溺れそうになった。
A child nearly drowned in the river.
彼
He drowned in the ocean and died.
ichidan verb, intransitive verb
be addicted; indulge in; wallow in; lose one's head over
Figurative sense: being excessively absorbed in something, often to one's detriment. Common with nouns like 酒 (alcohol), ギャンブル (gambling), 恋愛 (love), or 快楽 (pleasure).
彼は酒に溺れて仕事を失った。
He lost his job because he was addicted to alcohol.
快楽に溺れると身を滅ぼす。
If you indulge in pleasure, you'll ruin yourself.