teetotal

adjective

tee·​to·​tal ˈtē-ˈtō-tᵊl How to pronounce teetotal (audio)
-ˌtō-
1
: of, relating to, or practicing teetotalism
2
teetotally adverb

Examples of teetotal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Kansas men’s team, for instance, celebrated its national title last year with a water bottle waterfall over Coach Bill Self’s head — a teetotal rendition of the champagne squalls typically seen from championship-winning pro teams. Andrew Keh, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023 Adolf Hitler, on the other hand, was teetotal. Kyle Smith, National Review, 3 Dec. 2020 The largest study of the most recent data in the UK shows that in 2019, 16-to-25-year-olds were the most likely to be teetotal, with 26% not drinking, compared to the least likely generation (55-to-74-year-olds). Angela Lei, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023 While the pandemic spurred many, like Ms. Cliffe, to alter habits, Britain’s teetotal movement has risen steadily since the turn of the millennium. Shafi Musaddique, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jan. 2022 According to the latest data from the Australian Institue of Health And Welfare, this makes Jenine one of a growing number of people who are teetotal. Vicky Spratt, refinery29.com, 10 Jan. 2022 Alcohol is also forbidden, but Lukaku has always been teetotal, so this has not come as much of a problem for him. SI.com, 30 Aug. 2019 The adulation heaped on the deal by those who usually excoriate him reportedly thrilled the president, a teetotal non-smoker whose chief addiction is praise. The Economist, 14 Sep. 2017 Pious, teetotal and painfully earnest, Aurangzeb felt the weight of his responsibilities keenly. Maxwell Carter, WSJ, 28 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'teetotal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

total + total (abstinence)

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of teetotal was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near teetotal

Cite this Entry

“Teetotal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teetotal. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

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