drunken

adjective

ˈdrəŋ-kən How to pronounce drunken (audio)
Definition of drunkennext
1
as in drunk
being under the influence of alcohol the drunken revelers made sure to take taxis home instead of trying to drive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in intemperate
given to excessive use of alcoholic beverages drunken ne'er-do-wells who had been pressed into service in the British navy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 drunken Madness, and all thanks to the powers of drunken room service. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 Newell accused the Record of illegally obtaining and leaking information about a drunken-driving incident, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Jimmy rubbed beer foam off his mustache, and Kath thought of the drunken Norwegian boatman who sank Fanny’s ship. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 Because Ulf the White, the drunken tavern-dweller, cannot be found. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drunken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drunken
  1. drunk
  2. intemperate
Adjective
  • Eurotrash from Frauke Finsterwalder will have its world premiere in Zurich, the festival confirmed Monday, following a writer called Philipp who embarks with his terminally ill and hopelessly drunk mother, Helene, on a road trip through Switzerland.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This was the context for Justice Brewer’s remarks about Philip sober restraining Philip drunk.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of drunk
Adjective
  • Suzanna waits for hours in the bank’s vestibule—that practical but indeterminate space shielding the true interior from the intemperate outdoors—much to the bewilderment of the young security guard perched on a stool nearby.
    — Laura Miller, The New York Review of Books, 6 June 2026
  • Elon is given to making headline-making statements, sometimes intemperate statements.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of intemperate

Browse Nearby Words

drunkards
drunken
drunkenness
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Cite this Entry

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

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