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
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
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
Welcome back to everyone’s favorite drunken advice column.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The intense coddling and dysfunction within the family come to a head at the end of the show opener when a drunken Paul crashes a boat, killing his best friend’s girlfriend, Mallory (Madeline Popovich), and injuring all on board.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
After Paul is involved in a drunken boat crash that kills one of his friends (Madeline Popovich’s Mallory), Alex and Randolph get to work on the cover-up with a confidence that suggests this isn’t their first rodeo.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Kuenn was previously cited in 1998 for drunken driving in Waukesha County, according to the criminal complaint.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drunken
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Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The intense coddling and dysfunction within the family come to a head at the end of the show opener when a drunken Paul crashes a boat, killing his best friend’s girlfriend, Mallory (Madeline Popovich), and injuring all on board.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
After Paul is involved in a drunken boat crash that kills one of his friends (Madeline Popovich’s Mallory), Alex and Randolph get to work on the cover-up with a confidence that suggests this isn’t their first rodeo.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025
Kuenn was previously cited in 1998 for drunken driving in Waukesha County, according to the criminal complaint.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drunken
Cite this Entry
“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən 
1
b
: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol
2
a
: resulting from being drunk
a drunken brawl
drunkenly
adverb
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
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