- present participle of drink.
drinking
Americanadjective
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suitable or safe to drink.
drinking water.
-
used in drinking.
a drinking glass.
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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
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.
The funding will flow through California’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
She spoke at a Democratic women’s meeting; then to a chapter of the group Drinking Liberally, part of the Living Liberally umbrella organization.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
Drinking tea with goji berries and red dates has helped ease her period symptoms.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
SEW is already subjected to two separate investigations by Ofwat and the Drinking Water Inspectorate over earlier supply disruptions.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
Drinking deep from the water jar, he yanked his sash tight around his hollow middle and let himself out the gate.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
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.
