ALCOHOLIC Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

alcoholic 1 of 2

noun

Definition of alcoholic

as in drunk

a person who makes a habit of getting drunk one can be a social drinker without turning into an alcoholic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

alcoholic

2 of 2

adjective

as in bibulous

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of alcoholic

Noun

Spiezio went from winning the Oakland Athletics’ Dave Stewart Community Award in 1997, to being the Angels’ Roberto Clemente nominee in 2003, to being someone who worked with DARE, to becoming an alcoholic without knowing it. — Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Partly because McCarthy is a desperate alcoholic and becoming very sick. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

Adjective

Officials annually emphasize boating safety, wearing life jackets and being aware of conditions, especially rip currents, and avoiding drinking alcoholic beverages when venturing out on the water. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Toss in an additional 196 cases of 24-packs of 12-ounce non-alcoholic cans (4,704 cans) of Old Milwaukee, owned by Anheuser-Busch, for a grand total of 33,984 cans of beer. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for alcoholic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for alcoholic

Noun

In the beginning, the team largely focused on fatal drunk-driving cases, Cherney said.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Every day, approximately 32 people in the United States are killed in drunk-driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

— Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of drunk

Adjective

But how differently would the Iron Lady have handled Brexit or Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU’s bibulous president?

— Philip Delves Broughton, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2018
Aside from his bibulous peculiarities, Old Roy is generous, brave, courteous and a keen lover of fun.

— John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Jan. 2018

Definition of bibulous

Noun

Kudos to Martin for not playing it safe and taking a chance here, and there are certainly going to be many whiskey drinkers who enjoy what this release has to offer.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026
Weekday morning drinkers will lean on grocery-store chai concentrate poured over ice and milk, or into frothed hot milk.

— Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of drinker

Adjective

But this replacement adoption has strings attached, in the form of a father (Fabrizio Odetto) who’d already been trying to get Giulia away from his dissolute ex, and is not about to hand her over to some rich third party.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026
His untimely death set the template for the doomed, dissolute musician.

— David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026

Definition of dissolute

Noun

Only his father’s respectability, and perhaps his odd Motown accent, spared him from getting cussed out by bridesmaids at society weddings as a wastrel and drunkard, a shameless woman-wrapper.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026
In invalidating the comparisons, Gorsuch focused on the purpose of the laws aimed at the habitual drunkards of the 18th century.

— Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 25 June 2026

Definition of drunkard

Adjective

When Bane is unmasked in front of his employer, Rupert Thorne (this incarnation of Bane doesn’t even have the drive to tackle Batman until someone pays him for it), what’s revealed underneath is a dopey, boyish goon.

— Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
Larry had a dopey perma-smile, and seemed delighted by everything, especially Sergey.

— Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026

Definition of dopey

Browse Nearby Words

alcohol

alcoholic

alcoholics

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“Alcoholic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcoholic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of alcoholic

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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