drunken

1 of 2

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

drunkenness

2 of 2

noun

drunk·​en·​ness -kən(n)ə̇s 

plural -es

1

: the condition of being drunk with or as if with alcohol : intoxication

2

: alcoholism

3

: mental or emotional extravagance suggestive of the disorders caused by alcohol

the drunkenness of factious animosity

—T. B. Macaulay

Synonyms of drunken

Adjective

• drunk
• fried

Examples of drunken in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

On the side of the highway, the night is a cacophony of blaring horns and the shouts of drunken men. — ABC News, 23 July 2026

Known as Hangover Noodles, the restaurant serves dishes from a diverse array of Southeast Asian cuisines, from curry and stir-fry to drunken noodles and pho, according to its website. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026

The place is a time capsule with sketchy internet service, drunken frat boys, and — most crucially — Faye’s college boyfriend Henry, who is now married with two kids and still lives in the area. — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026

The Aurora department made 479 drunken driving arrests in 2025, the survey results show, a slight uptick from last year’s figures. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

Noun

Middle English drunkennesse, from Old English druncenness, from druncen + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

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