intoxicate

verb

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in·tox·i·cate | \ in-ˈtäk-sə-ˌkāt

intoxicated; intoxicating

Definition of intoxicate

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : 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

2 : poison

intoxicate

adjective

in·tox·i·cate | \ in-ˈtäk-si-kət

Definition of intoxicate (Entry 2 of 2)

archaic

: intoxicated sense 1

Synonyms Did you know? Example Sentences Learn More About intoxicate

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 as an adjective describing something (such as the tip of an arrow or dart) steeped in or smeared with poison. That meaning dates to the 15th century; the related verb, meaning "to poison," occurs in the 16th. Both senses are now obsolete. Today, we 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 names for various poisons themselves.

Examples of intoxicate in a Sentence

Verb 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 on the Web: Verb Add to the meal a glass of wine to softly intoxicate the senses, and relaxation is guaranteed. — Michael Alpiner, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2021 The couple moved from Burgundy more than a decade ago, intoxicated by the landscape and the richness of the soil. — Sarah Souli, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2020 The officer talked to the resident, who was clearly intoxicated. — John Benson, cleveland, 6 May 2020 This founding and intoxicating discovery needed to be perpetually confirmed, repeated. — New York Times, 28 Apr. 2020 Just like the book, the series follows the intoxicating romance between Marianne and Connell, two teenagers from very different backgrounds, living in a small west Ireland town. — Jessica Morgan, refinery29.com, 17 Jan. 2020 Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a non-intoxicating molecule found in hemp and marijuana. — NBC News, 7 Jan. 2020 Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a non-intoxicating molecule found in hemp and marijuana. — Time, 7 Jan. 2020 When funneled over a chilled tube of coiled metal, these intoxicating cloudlets condense into tiny, high-proof drops that drip into a separate container. — Ali Bouzari, SFChronicle.com, 30 Dec. 2019 See More

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.

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Dictionary Entries Near intoxicate

intoxicant

intoxicate

intoxicated

Statistics for intoxicate

Cite this Entry

“Intoxicate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intoxicate. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for intoxicate

intoxicate

verb

in·tox·i·cate | \ in-ˈtäk-sə-ˌkāt

intoxicated; intoxicating

Kids Definition of intoxicate

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

intoxicate

transitive verb

in·tox·i·cate | \ -sə-ˌkāt

intoxicated; intoxicating

Medical Definition of intoxicate

1 : poison

2 : to excite or stupefy by alcohol or a drug especially to the point where physical and mental control is markedly diminished

intoxicate

transitive verb

in·tox·i·cate | \ in-ˈtäk-sə-ˌkāt

intoxicated; intoxicating

Legal Definition of intoxicate

: 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