drinking

American

[dring-king] / ˈdrɪŋ kɪŋ /

adjective

suitable or safe to drink.

drinking water.
used in drinking.

a drinking glass.
addicted to or indulging excessively in alcohol.

Is he a drinking man?
of or relating to the act of drinking, especially the drinking of alcohol.

a drinking companion.

noun

habitual and excessive consumption of alcohol.

His drinking caused him to lose his job.

Other Word Forms

undrinking adjective

Etymology

Origin of drinking

A Middle English word dating back to 1125–75; 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.

Stomach gnawing and hands slightly shaky, I loaded up on ephemera for fancy paninis, held together with swipes of giardiniera mayo, and splurged on some pastel-hued botanical sodas for drinking straight from the can.

From Salon

As a parent, you wouldn’t want your child to be stuck forever wearing a onesie and drinking from a sippy cup.

From The Wall Street Journal

Le Constellation, which has been around for decades, has an upstairs with TV screens where people go and watch football matches, and a large bar downstairs for drinking and dancing.

From BBC

It will also make French authorities regularly test drinking water for all kinds of PFAS.

From Barron's

If camping, check the Angeles National Forest website to see whether your campground offers drinking water.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023