hangover
Americannoun
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the disagreeable physical aftereffects of drunkenness, such as a headache or stomach disorder, usually felt several hours after cessation of drinking.
- Synonyms:
- nausea, qualm, sickishness, queasiness
-
something remaining behind from a former period or state of affairs.
-
any aftermath of or lingering effect from a distressing experience.
the post-Watergate hangover in Washington.
noun
-
the delayed aftereffects of drinking too much alcohol in a relatively short period of time, characterized by headache and sometimes nausea and dizziness
-
a person or thing left over from or influenced by a past age
Etymology
Origin of hangover
1890–95, noun use of verb phrase hang over
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.
In these tough times, some discount chains have been thriving, but California’s Grocery Outlet has been closing stores as it tries to remedy a hangover of overexpansion.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
It was not a hangover from the celebrations.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
The next morning, I woke up with what I can only describe as a disclosure hangover.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026
Whether it's been age profile, a creaking scrum, a sputtering attack, the unsettled fly-half situation or a British and Irish Lions hangover, most of the discussion has been largely negative.
From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026
The fertilizer smell gives me a hangover even though I had nothing but water last night.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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.
