drunken

adjective

drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən How to pronounce drunken (audio)
Synonyms of drunkennext
1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
obsolete : saturated with liquid
3
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
… they come from … broken homes, drunken homes …—P. B. Gilliam
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken brawl
4
: unsteady or lurching as if from alcoholic intoxication
drunkenly adverb
drunkenness
ˈdrəŋ-kən-nəs How to pronounce drunken (audio)
noun

Synonyms of drunken

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Examples of drunken in a Sentence

The streets were filled with drunken revelers on New Year's Eve. He lives in an apartment with his drunken mother. He fell into a drunken stupor. A drunken brawl broke out at the bar.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The drunken Ken spends his time on such things as warbling a karaoke version of a 4 Non Blondes song while an unkempt Ryu is a purveyor of ramen so bad even a stray cat won’t eat it. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 The film features drunken sing-alongs and dancing with abandon in the family kitchen. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 And drunken drivers who slam into emergency vehicles and workers at crash sites. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026 She’s reused footage from the Greyhounds’ previous attempt at creating a viral video to create a new, more fun clip that makes liberal use of Rebecca’s drunken chastising of fans for not showing up. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drunken

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English druncen, from past participle of drincan to drink

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drunken was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing drunken

Rhymes for drunken

See All Rhymes for drunken

Browse Nearby Words

drunk driving
drunken
drunkenly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

drunken

adjective
drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən How to pronounce drunken (audio)
1
a
: drunk entry 2 sense 1
b
: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol
2
a
: resulting from being drunk
a drunken brawl
b
: drunk entry 2 sense 3b
drunkenly adverb
drunkenness
-kən-nəs How to pronounce drunken (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

drunken

adjective
drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən How to pronounce drunken (audio)
1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
drunken parties
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken stupor
drunkenly adverb
drunkenness
-kən-nəs How to pronounce drunken (audio)
noun
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