DUI

abbreviation or noun

ˌdē-(ˌ)yü-ˈī 

plural DUIs

1

US : the act or crime of driving a vehicle while affected by alcohol or drugs

was arrested for DUI

a DUI case

2

US : an arrest or conviction for driving under the influence

… the reason he was in prison is that a few DUIs caught up with him …

—Barbara Ehrenreich

3

US : a person who is arrested for or convicted of driving under the influence

a convicted DUI

Examples of DUI in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Perez was sentenced to 15 years for vehicular homicide and five years for DUI manslaughter followed by 10 years of probation in which she will not be allowed to drive and is subject to weekly drug tests. — Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

Sunshine Perez, 46, pleaded no contest in March to DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and reckless driving charges stemming from the January 2025 wrong-way crash on Florida’s Turnpike that caused the death of aspiring firefighter Ezequiel Urrutia. — Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2026

The driver was arrested and booked into the Placer County Jail on multiple charges, including hit-and-run, driving under the influence and DUI with prior convictions. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026

Supporters of stronger detection tools point to the limited intrusions people already accept in the name of public safety, from airport security searches to DUI checks. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

driving under the influence

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for DUI

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

Legal Definition

DUI

abbreviation

driving under the influence