This is the 8666th most frequent Portuguese word.
afundar
"Afundar" means "to sink" in English.
Here, 'afundar' is used literally to describe an object (the boat) going underwater.
O barco começou a afundar após colidir com uma rocha.
The boat began to sink after colliding with a rock.
In this case, 'afundar' is used metaphorically to illustrate a sense of overwhelming emotional experience.
Ela sentiu-se como se estivesse prestes a afundar em emoções intensas.
She felt as if she was about to sink into intense emotions.
Here, 'afundar' implies causing the halt or failure of something, used figuratively in the context of managing a project.