drinking
Americanadjective
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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?
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of or relating to the act of drinking, especially the drinking of alcohol.
a drinking companion.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
She noted that since 2012 California has declared access to clean, accessible and affordable drinking water a human right.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
The answer may depend on what the Supreme Court thinks about the drinking habits of the Founding Fathers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
“People eating and drinking us more is the first step to value share,” the CFO, who joined Nestlé from the London Stock Exchange in March 2024, tells Barron’s.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The Fukushima mayor said officials also saw the bear drinking water from a tap, adding it may have turned the handle itself, and describing it as being "extremely intelligent."
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
But so many more animals were now drinking from the river that it was always running low.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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.
