tipsy

adjective

tip·​sy ˈtip-sē 

tipsier; tipsiest

1

: unsteady, staggering, or foolish from the effects of liquor : fuddled

2

: unsteady, askew

a tipsy angle

tipsily

ˈtip-sə-lē 

adverb

tipsiness

ˈtip-sē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• besotted
• blasted [slang]
• blind
• blitzed [slang]
• blotto [slang]
• bombed
• boozy
• canned [slang]
• cockeyed
• crocked
• drunk
• drunken
• fried
• gassed
• hammered [slang]
• high
• impaired
• inebriate
• inebriated
• intoxicated
• juiced [slang]
• lit
• lit up
• loaded [slang]
• looped
• oiled [slang]
• pickled
• pie-eyed
• plastered
• potted [slang]
• ripped [slang]
• sloshed [slang]
• smashed [slang]
• sottish
• soused
• sozzled
• squiffed
• squiffy
• stewed
• stiff
• stinking [slang]
• stoned
• tanked [slang]
• tiddly [chiefly British]
• tight
• wasted [slang]
• wet
• wiped out [slang]

Examples of tipsy in a Sentence

I got a little tipsy at the party last night.

our uncle had too much to drink at the wedding and got a little tipsy

Recent Examples on the Web

The crowd is diverse, ranging from tipsy college students to international visitors. —Chrissy Suttles, Axios, 2 Feb. 2025

Everyone else is too tipsy, and Ubering is so unsafe. —Danielle Jennings, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025

Most of the arcades are open late into the evening as well, making for a quite fun after-dinner, slightly tipsy escapade. —Reece Rogers, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2024

Loading your audio article A wee bit tipsy man on a scooter somehow blew past two checkpoints and roamed around Rikers Island before his nighttime joyride was cut short by security, court records show. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

tip entry 1 + -sy (as in tricksy)

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tipsy

adjective

tip·​sy ˈtip-sē 

tipsier; tipsiest

: unsteady or foolish from drinking