adjective
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intoxicated with or as if with alcohol
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frequently or habitually drunk
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(prenominal) caused by or relating to alcoholic intoxication
a drunken brawl
Usage
See drunk.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of drunken
Variant of drunk adj. and past participle
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.
One of the most famous episodes in Homer’s poem finds Odysseus and his men facing the Cyclops Polyphemus in his cave, where their struggle becomes a battle of wits: lies, taunts, a drunken ruse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
The other, a Flea Bottom orphan taken in by a drunken hedge knight, spent most of his life sleeping on the hard ground.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
"Vooaaria!" the bird croaked, a concoction of sounds that resembled a drunken old man.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
It would also have been nice if, instead of circling notes like a drunken canary, Mr. Attmore had landed with a bit more frequency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
I walked like a drunken elephant stumping from side to side.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
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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.
