drinking
Americanadjective
-
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
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
Volunteer firefighters like Maitree Nuanja do their best to bolster limited local capacity, relying heavily on donations such as drinking water and face masks.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 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
According to a study by Data for India, about 15% of urban households and 6% of rural households depend on bottled water for their drinking needs.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
We walked along the dirt path for miles in the heat of the morning, resting often and drinking from the three huge gourds of well water Teresita’s husband had given us.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
