drunken

adjective

drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən 

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

c

: resulting from or as if from intoxication

a drunken brawl

4

: unsteady or lurching as if from alcoholic intoxication

drunkenly adverb

drunkenness

ˈdrəŋ-kən-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• drunk
• fried

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

Survey data showed that Naperville police made 258 drunken driving arrests in 2024, a 51.8% increase over the 170 made in 2023. —Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025

Matters are complicated by Olivia's drunken uncle, Sir Toby Belch (John Ellison Conlee), serving-woman Maria (Daphne Rubin-Vega), and Belch's friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Ferguson). —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Earlier Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said charges from the warrants included homicide, drunken driving, gun and drug crimes, and subway fare evasion. —Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025

Taylor quipped, referencing Kylie shooting down a drunken idea of Jason's. —Rachel McRady, People.com, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English druncen, from past participle of drincan to drink

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing drunken

• drunken driver
• drunken driving

Rhymes for drunken

• shrunken
• sunken

Kids Definition

drunken

adjective

drunk·​en ˈdrəŋ-kən 

1

a

: drunk entry 2 sense 1

b

: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol

2

a

: resulting from being drunk

a drunken brawl

b

: drunk entry 2 sense 3b

drunkenly adverb

drunkenness

-kən-nəs 

noun

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

drunkenness

-kən-nəs 

noun