Synonyms

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.

It came from factories, lead-based paint, drinking water pipes, and most of all from vehicle exhaust.

From Science Daily

I asked for water and the bartender pointed me toward a drinking fountain and some plastic cups.

From The Wall Street Journal

Notably, measurements of the dopamine system taken before the animals had any alcohol were able to predict their later drinking behavior.

From Science Daily

"I don't think I will be drinking today," she had messaged Nath, after an evening out.

From BBC

“I know. But I read that drinking hot beverages in hot weather helps with the heat.”

From Literature

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