1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
obsolete
: saturated with liquid
3
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
they come from … broken homes, drunken homes—
P. B. Gilliam
P. B. Gilliam
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken brawl
4
: unsteady or lurching as if from alcoholic intoxication
drunkenly
adverb
Examples of drunken in a Sentence
The streets were filled with drunken revelers on New Year's Eve.
He lives in an apartment with his drunken mother.
He fell into a drunken stupor.
A drunken brawl broke out at the bar.
Recent Examples on the Web
His arrival home each night is announced by his sputtering motorcycle and his drunken stumbling up the stairs.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
The data, which is from the past three years and from LendingTree’s proprietary database, includes recent traffic incidents and violations such as accidents, drunken driving arrests and speeding tickets.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Initially, police charged her with drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene.
—Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, Livonia police used a grappler to stop a drunken driver, according to media reports.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drunken
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
The data, which is from the past three years and from LendingTree’s proprietary database, includes recent traffic incidents and violations such as accidents, drunken driving arrests and speeding tickets.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
Initially, police charged her with drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene.
—Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, Livonia police used a grappler to stop a drunken driver, according to media reports.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drunken
Cite this Entry
“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən 
1
b
: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol
2
a
: resulting from being drunk
a drunken brawl
drunkenly
adverb
Medical Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən
1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
drunken parties
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken stupor
drunkenly
adverb
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