drunken

adjective

drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən How to pronounce drunken (audio)
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 homesP. 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 noun

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But the dance party morphs into an intensely heated argument — complete with drunken insults and shattered glass — as the Owens sisters realize Angelov isn’t really gone. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2024 Three decades on, recollections of the drunken antics and petty feuds that marked the Britpop scene may have faded, but the era’s style iconography—and of course the music—remains. Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2024 Tempe police evacuated residents of from an apartment building that was struck Monday night by a car driven by a drunken driver, police said. Andrew Ford, The Arizona Republic, 16 Oct. 2024 This surreal journey through a drunken night of uncanny encounters is a classic of Nigerian literature, fearlessly stacking absurdity atop absurdity. The Week Us, theweek, 15 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near drunken

Cite this Entry

“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

drunken

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

More from Merriam-Webster on drunken

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!