in·ebri·ate
i-ˈnē-brē-ˌāt 
inebriated; inebriating
1
: to make drunk : intoxicate
2
: to exhilarate or stupefy as if by liquor
was inebriated by the feeling of power
in·ebri·ate
i-ˈnē-brē-ət
-ˌāt
-ˌāt
1
: affected by alcohol : drunk
2
: addicted to excessive drinking
Examples of inebriate in a Sentence
Noun
having performed in countless bars and clubs, the stand-up comedian was used to being heckled by inebriates in the back of the house
Adjective
those inebriate sports fans who yell and scream throughout the game
Recent Examples on the Web
Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 10 May 2018
The group proposed extending the winter shelter through May, boosting treatment for serial inebriates and reporting all homeless incidents and issues to a single coordinator.
—Jeff McDonald, sandiegouniontribune.com, 1 Oct. 2017
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2025
Heavily inebriated and with several different drugs racing through his system, 19-year-old Jacob storms into the confrontation and clocks an unknown man hard, sending him to the ground.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2023
The money covers additional shelter beds, more street outreach, rapid rehousing, safe parking and the serial inebriate program.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for inebriate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
One of American drama's most intriguing case studies, Hickey is the hardware salesman who returns to his old tawdry haunt not on one of his periodic benders but on a mission to reform the resident inebriates of their belief in a better tomorrow.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 10 May 2018
The group proposed extending the winter shelter through May, boosting treatment for serial inebriates and reporting all homeless incidents and issues to a single coordinator.
—Jeff McDonald, sandiegouniontribune.com, 1 Oct. 2017
Verb
Louise would call me, inebriated, shouting nasty stuff about my political stance.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2025
Heavily inebriated and with several different drugs racing through his system, 19-year-old Jacob storms into the confrontation and clocks an unknown man hard, sending him to the ground.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Or simply to help other individuals in dire straits — like the widow (Whitney Morgan Cox) and daughter (Veda Cienfuegos) of that inebriate driver, their current plight worsened by the bankruptcy brought on by a Bernie Madoff-like financial predator?
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2023
The money covers additional shelter beds, more street outreach, rapid rehousing, safe parking and the serial inebriate program.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for inebriate
Cite this Entry
“Inebriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inebriate. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
inebriate
1 of 3 transitive verb
ine·bri·ate
in-ˈē-brē-ˌāt
inebriated; inebriating
: to make drunk : intoxicate
inebriate
2 of 3 adjective
ine·bri·ate
in-ˈē-brē-ət
-ˌāt
-ˌāt
1
: affected by alcohol : drunk
2
: addicted to excessive drinking
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share