drinking

verb

present participle of drink
1
as in sipping
to swallow in liquid form the doctor wants her to drink lots of water before the examination

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in boozing
to partake excessively of alcoholic beverages we're worried that she's started drinking again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in absorbing
to take in (something liquid) through small openings the hot surface of the porous rock drank water like a sponge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drinking Being the sober friend has never meant judging anyone else for drinking. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Indigenous people in the region have used yaupon holly in tea since well before the rise of Etowah (and someone is probably drinking some right now). — ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026 My humidity levels are at an all-time low, which means this swamp rat has started drinking copious amounts of water to deal with the heat. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 Davis recommends drinking plenty of water that day and eating something light beforehand. — Lindy Segal, Glamour, 27 Aug. 2026 In other words, spikes in acetaldehyde seem to nudge people to stop drinking. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 Research has shown that drinking less than 500ml of water—about 2 cups—per day increases the risk of albuminuria. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 2026 Many of the groups drinking milk regularly for the first time did not like it. — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 Several commenters pointed to the fact that alcohol service can continue later than food service, arguing that removing late-night food could leave people drinking without an easy option to eat. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drinking
  1. sipping
  2. boozing
  3. absorbing
  4. gulping
  5. swallowing
  6. imbibing
Verb
  • Somewhere on a porch in rural Tennessee, the late Dolly Parton may have held up a dainty martini glass, sipping away as the orange sun set behind the Great Smokies.
    — Angela George, USA TODAY, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This quiet, cozy season is ideal for wandering the Gaslight District’s 100-some shops and galleries and sipping through the Petoskey Wine Trail.
    — Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sipping
Verb
  • Still, Garance’s death stare into the void, where this woman is still hard-boozing 90 minutes into the movie, starts to run its premise thin despite Exarchopoulos’ terrific and totally internalized turn.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2026
  • Ferrara makes no bones about the catastrophic consequences of so much boozing and chasing the dragon on his personal life and finances.
    — Nick Pinkerton, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of boozing
Verb
  • Dark, light-absorbing particles turn into light-scattering particles, transforming dark, dense plumes into the milky white haze seen drifting across the eastern skies.
    — Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Great at absorbing moisture while still preventing the growth of bacteria, these socks will dry quickly and minimize irritation.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of absorbing
Verb
  • Others can’t stand the sound of gulping.
    — Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • This viral anti-slip slow feeder lick bowl helps prevent gulping and bloating, while keeping your dogs entertained for longer with a healthy, fun challenge.
    — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 25 May 2026
Definition of gulping
Verb
  • Popular media and Southern folklore frequently claimed that kudzu was swallowing 150,000 new acres every year and had overtaken anywhere from 7 to 9 million acres across the region.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The cause of the powerful torrents of floodwater that carved a devastating path through Nepal and Tibet — swallowing towns, roads and bridges — is not yet clear, but Nepal is a hotspot for climate disasters as the planet heats up.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of swallowing
Verb
  • Guests who prefer imbibing to detoxing can also book cigar-rolling workshops, wine and rum tastings, and even personalized private dinners in Le Cave, which is the oldest wine cellar in the region and down the stairs from L’Oursin.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
  • With Vuckovich on the cusp of his 90th birthday, the seven-decade spread between the pianist and Tang embodies jazz’s crucial generational reach, with young players imbibing essential seasoning via direct contact with veteran masters.
    — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Definition of imbibing

Browse Nearby Words

drink (in)
drinking
drinking (in)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drinking. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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