- present participle of drink.
drinking
Americanadjective
-
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
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.
Ollie's dad, Alex, said daily tasks - including sleeping, eating and drinking - became "incredibly difficult", and said he and Ollie's mother were "at a loss... just watching our son deteriorate".
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
As an experienced runner, Tatum said he knows to prepare by wearing sunscreen, drinking water early and often and not overexerting himself at the outset.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2026
“I’m sitting here drinking Viennese coffee, eating pastries and looking out of the window,” he would say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
As of Saturday, he was “eating, drinking and resting comfortably at the shelter” and was seen by veterinarians.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
At the top, I pull one of the bottles out of my belt and pretend I’m too preoccupied with drinking water to answer his question.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
