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.

He believes this trend is driven by pandemic-era surges in drinking and an increase in people with risk factors for MASLD, like obesity and diabetes.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

Zeldin said the environmental agency will add microplastics and pharmaceuticals to its list of concerning chemicals in drinking water.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

So, the price of a one-litre bottle of drinking water, which sells for about 20 rupees, or that of a five-litre one, which sells for about 60-70 rupees, has largely remained unchanged.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Fewer people are eating dessert and drinking like they used to.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Witt and his commanders didn’t allow smoking, drinking, or dating.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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