Definition of intoxicate
archaic
: intoxicated 1
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First Known Use of intoxicate
1581
Definition of intoxicate
intoxicated;
intoxicating
1
: poison
2 a
: to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished
b
: to excite or elate to the point of enthusiasm or frenzy
Examples of intoxicate in a Sentence
The little bit of beer I drank was not enough to intoxicate me.
the stunning spectacle of this Las Vegas show is sure to intoxicate spectators
Recent Examples of intoxicate from the Web
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The driver, a Cleveland woman, 33, was found to be intoxicated.
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Many of the underage drinkers were intoxicated, police said, and many lacked any type of identification.
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Others contain high amounts of cannabidiol, or CBD, which is prized for its therapeutic, rather than intoxicating, effects.
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Ernest Henry Heinze, 27, of the 900 block of Pentwood Court, was charged Friday with disorderly conduct, intoxicated public disturbance and two counts of failure to obey a lawful police order.
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The grandmother, 44, was intoxicated and had thrown up on herself and also urinated in the car, according to police.
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The sun is intoxicating, and the wind is riffling her wig and gently cooling the piping hot Cup O' Noodles in her hand.
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There were no signs the woman was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
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Jamison’s book feels like a fleshed-out, more fully realized version of that story, reflecting on her own encounters during a time when she was often intoxicated.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intoxicate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
For those who think that alcohol and drugs qualify as poisons, the history of intoxicate offers some etymological evidence to bolster your argument. Intoxicate traces back to toxicum, the Latin word for "poison" - and the earliest meaning of intoxicate was just that: "to poison." This sense is now extremely rare, and we currently talk about such harmless things as flowers and perfume having the power to intoxicate. Toxicum turns up in the etymologies of a number of other English words including toxic ("poisonous"), intoxicant ("something that intoxicates") and detoxify ("to remove a poison from"), as well as a number of the names for various poisons themselves.
Origin and Etymology of intoxicate
Middle English, from Medieval Latin intoxicatus, past participle of intoxicare, from Latin in- + toxicum poison — more at toxic
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 15th century
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearintoxicate Synonyms
INTOXICATE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of intoxicate for English Language Learners
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of alcohol, a drug, etc. : to make (someone) unable to think and behave normally
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: to excite or please (someone) in a way that suggests the effect of alcohol or a drug
INTOXICATE Defined for Kids
Definition of intoxicate for Students
intoxicated;
intoxicating
1
: to affect by alcohol or a drug especially so that normal thinking and acting becomes difficult or impossible : make drunk
2
: to make wildly excited or enthusiastic
- Intoxicated as he was with the heavens, he couldn't imagine needing anything on earth.
- —Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia
Medical Dictionary
medical Definition of intoxicate
intoxicated;
intoxicating
1
: poison
2
: to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished
Law Dictionary
legal Definition of intoxicate
intoxicated;
intoxicating
: to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished — see also driving under the influence
Learn More about intoxicate
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See words that rhyme with intoxicate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for intoxicate Spanish Central: Translation of intoxicate Nglish: Translation of intoxicate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of intoxicate for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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