pickled

adjective

pick·​led ˈpi-kəld 

1

: preserved in or cured with pickle

pickled herring

2

: drunk sense 1a

gets thoroughly pickled before dinner

—New Yorker

Synonyms

• besotted
• blasted [slang]
• blind
• blitzed [slang]
• blotto [slang]
• bombed
• boozy
• canned [slang]
• cockeyed
• crocked
• drunk
• drunken
• fried
• gassed
• hammered [slang]
• high
• impaired
• inebriate
• inebriated
• intoxicated
• juiced [slang]
• lit
• lit up
• loaded [slang]
• looped
• oiled [slang]
• pie-eyed
• plastered
• potted [slang]
• ripped [slang]
• sloshed [slang]
• smashed [slang]
• sottish
• soused
• sozzled
• squiffed
• squiffy
• stewed
• stiff
• stinking [slang]
• stoned
• tanked [slang]
• tiddly [chiefly British]
• tight
• tipsy
• wasted [slang]
• wet
• wiped out [slang]

Examples of pickled in a Sentence

He got pickled at the office party.

I must have been rather pickled when I agreed to your stupid scheme.

Recent Examples on the Web

Though the structure of the pelvic bones from the new species was relatively simple to study, the structure of the bones from the pickled species was not. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2025

Having shown his talent for seafood, the chef sent out velvety, succulent pork belly confit with pickled fennel and carrots in a rich demi-glace. —John Mariani, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Stir in cabbage, onion, and pickled jalapeño chiles. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 13 May 2025

In the exhibit, clear resin molds contain a variety of colorful objects, including Japanese food wrappers, condiments and snacks such as seaweed salad, pickled ginger and candy. —Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pickled

• prickled
• tickled
• trickled

Kids Definition

pickled

adjective

pick·​led

: preserved with pickle