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
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
Synonyms
- besotted
- blasted [slang]
- blind
- blitzed [slang]
- blotto [slang]
- bombed
- boozy
- canned [slang]
- cockeyed
- crocked
- drunk
- 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
- tipsy
- wasted [slang]
- wet
- wiped out [slang]
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
In 1832, Andrew Jackson replaced army alcohol rations with coffee, in hopes of energizing the troops and reducing instances of drunken insubordination.
—Bronwen Everill, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Her deadpan, eye-rolling ennui is perfect for the role of a drunken could-be widow whose innate cynicism has risen to the level of nihilism — not a big jump, given her circumstances.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 2024
In an angry, drunken stupor, my client returned to the store, confronted the young clerk, and stabbed him in the heart.
—Emilio "emi" Benitez, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2024
Aric Hutchinson will receive more than $1.3 million in the settlement of a wrongful-death lawsuit that was filed in the death of his newlywed wife, Samantha Miller, in Folly Beach, S.C., when the two were hit on a golf cart by a drunken driver.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for drunken 
Bronwen Everill, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 June 2024
Her deadpan, eye-rolling ennui is perfect for the role of a drunken could-be widow whose innate cynicism has risen to the level of nihilism — not a big jump, given her circumstances.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 2024
In an angry, drunken stupor, my client returned to the store, confronted the young clerk, and stabbed him in the heart.
—Emilio "emi" Benitez, Sun Sentinel, 26 June 2024
Aric Hutchinson will receive more than $1.3 million in the settlement of a wrongful-death lawsuit that was filed in the death of his newlywed wife, Samantha Miller, in Folly Beach, S.C., when the two were hit on a golf cart by a drunken driver.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 25 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for drunken
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drunken.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near drunken
Cite this Entry
“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən 
1
b
: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol
2
a
: resulting from being drunk
a drunken brawl
drunkenly
adverb
Medical Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən
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
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