ginger ale

American  

noun

• ginger ales
  plural

1. a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger extract.

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ginger ale British  

noun

1. a sweetened effervescent nonalcoholic drink flavoured with ginger extract

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ginger ales
  plural

Etymology

Origin of ginger ale

First recorded in 1835–45

Compare meaning

How does ginger-ale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• ginger ale vs. ginger beer

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ginger ale

So ginger ale and tonic water became sick-day staples in our home, a bottle uncapped with a satisfying carbonated hiss if someone had a fever.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Ilya passes Shane his signature ginger ale across the counter and says, “You like tuna melt?”

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2026

Everything made my stomach turn—water, crackers, a hopeful sip of ginger ale; the things you’re supposed to try when you are sick.

From Slate ● Sep. 15, 2024

If you approach everything as if it has meaning — misspelled signs, toilet figurines, the differences between 7-Up and ginger ale — well, then it does.

From New York Times ● Aug. 31, 2023

He does, still with that look on his face like I might have given him a disease from my ginger ale spitting.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King