tipsy

adjective

tip·​sy ˈtip-sē 

tipsier; tipsiest

1

: unsteady, staggering, or foolish from the effects of liquor : fuddled

2

: unsteady, askew

a tipsy angle

tipsily

ˈtip-sə-lē 

adverb

tipsiness

ˈtip-sē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of tipsy

• drunk
• drunken

Examples of tipsy in a Sentence

I got a little tipsy at the party last night.

our uncle had too much to drink at the wedding and got a little tipsy

Recent Examples on the Web

Scrolling in the back of an Uber on the way to a party, and slightly tipsy, Roth found his way into another live auction. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2026

The breaking of silence in a tipsy twilight, if only for the sake of comical nonsense, can be as blessed as the break of dawn. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Randy Quaid played the tipsy Vietnam vet and former alien abductee Russell Casse, who ultimately delivers righteous vengeance upon Earth’s otherworldly invaders. — Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

Taqueria Hoy remains a refuge for factory workers, restaurant crews, tipsy clubbers, cops, families, insomniacs and others hungry in between. — Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 3 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

tip entry 1 + -sy (as in tricksy)

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tipsy

• lithotripsy

Kids Definition

tipsy

adjective

tip·​sy ˈtip-sē 

tipsier; tipsiest

: unsteady or foolish from drinking