Definition of intoxicate
archaic
:intoxicated 1
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intoxicate was our Word of the Day on 05/07/2010. Hear the podcast!
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First Known Use of intoxicate
1581
Definition of intoxicate
intoxicated;
intoxicating
transitive verb
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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Officers arrested the Auburn driver on investigation of vehicular homicide; police suspect he was intoxicated at the time of the crash, the news release says.
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The idea that vaping mitigates the risk of smoking could make people more likely to intoxicate themselves, more often, et cetera.
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Vehicular homicide while driving intoxicated carries a prison sentence of five to 10 years.
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Toxicology reports showed Fernández, 24, was intoxicated during the 3 a.m. crash, which flipped his 32-foot powerboat onto the rocks and killed passengers Eduardo Rivero, 26, and Emilio Jesus Macias, 27.
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A man accused of driving intoxicated was arrested in crash that left a pedestrian with serious injuries in Kearny Mesa Friday night.
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A driver who police say was intoxicated crashed his truck into a TriMet bus shelter and concrete barrier early Thursday.
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Months later, Odom was removed from a flight after he was presumably intoxicated.
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A CHP officer wrote sobriety tests were conducted and was believed to be 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
intoxicate Synonyms
Synonyms
charge, electrify, excite, exhilarate, galvanize, thrill, pump up, titillate, turn onAntonyms
depressRelated Words
arouse, incite, inspire, provoke, stimulate; bewitch, captivate, charm, delight, enchant, enthrall (or enthral), hypnotize, mesmerize, rivet, spellbind; interest, intrigue, tantalizeNear Antonyms
bore, jade, pall, tire, weary; deject, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispiritINTOXICATE Defined for English Language Learners
intoxicate
play
verb
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
intoxicate
play
verb
in·tox·i·cate
\
in-ˈtäk-sə-ˌkāt
\
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
Law Dictionary
intoxicate
play
transitive verb
in·tox·i·cate
\
in-ˈtäk-sə-ˌkāt
\
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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