binge drinking
noun
: an act or pattern of excessive consumption of alcohol
The reality is, however, that college drinking, especially binge drinking—defined as five or more drinks in a sitting for men and four for women—is a serious, and sometimes fatal, problem.—
Maria Caliri
Maria CaliriThe contentious tax on alcopops has failed to influence teenage drinkers and done nothing to curb binge drinking, according to the first survey of underage alcohol use since the federal government introduced the excise hike.—Melissa Fyfe
Melissa FyfeThe Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project has developed strategies to reduce binge drinking by identifying bars that routinely over-serve customers, as well as community festivals that overemphasize drinking.—Chris Hubbuch
—often hyphenated when used before another nounChris Hubbucha binge-drinking problem
binge drink
intransitive verb
binge drank; binge drank also binge drunk; binge drinking; binge drinks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 U.S. adults binge drinks, with 25% doing so at least weekly.
—Annika Olson
Annika Olson
binge drinker
noun
plural binge drinkers
Respondents who report consuming five or more drinks on at least one occasion during the past month are considered binge drinkers and are at the highest risk for alcohol-related problems.
—Paula Mergenhagen
Paula Mergenhagen
Examples of binge drinking in a Sentence
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The state also has the lowest share of recorded binge drinking or smoking across the U.S.
Colorado is the second-most independent state, in part due to the good money management of its residents.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Drinking Excessive Alcohol Heavy or binge drinking can raise your blood pressure both acutely and over time by activating your nervous system and decreasing blood vessel function, said Higgins.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 11 June 2025
And recent research from Neurology, the journal for the American Academy of Neurology, revealed that binge drinking can affect your brain.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
However, researchers haven’t known whether the neuronal ensembles activated during binge drinking also influence binge drinking behavior.
—Gilles Martin, The Conversation, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for binge drinking
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Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Drinking Excessive Alcohol Heavy or binge drinking can raise your blood pressure both acutely and over time by activating your nervous system and decreasing blood vessel function, said Higgins.
—Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 11 June 2025
And recent research from Neurology, the journal for the American Academy of Neurology, revealed that binge drinking can affect your brain.
—Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
However, researchers haven’t known whether the neuronal ensembles activated during binge drinking also influence binge drinking behavior.
—Gilles Martin, The Conversation, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for binge drinking
Cite this Entry
“Binge drinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/binge%20drinking. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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