drinking
Americanadjective
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suitable or safe to drink.
drinking water.
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used in drinking.
a drinking glass.
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addicted to or indulging excessively in alcohol.
Is he a drinking man?
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of or relating to the act of drinking, especially the drinking of alcohol.
a drinking companion.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of drinking
A Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; see origin at drink, -ing 2, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The utility firm was sentenced at Exeter Magistrates' Court following a prosecution brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
He also heads the project "Direct and In-Line Filtration for the Removal of Microplastics from Drinking Water," which is funded by FAPESP.
From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026
She spoke at a Democratic women’s meeting; then to a chapter of the group Drinking Liberally, part of the Living Liberally umbrella organization.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
Appeared in the January 17, 2026, print edition as 'Is Drinking Alone OK, Or Necessarily Lonely?'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 17, 2026
Drinking water came from a convenience store miles away—without permission, the Warden or one of the children quickly shoved their plastic jugs under an outside spigot and hoped no one saw them.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
