1
as in sipping
to swallow in liquid form
the doctor wants her to drink lots of water before the examination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in boozing
to partake excessively of alcoholic beverages
we're worried that she's started drinking again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in absorbing
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
the hot surface of the porous rock drank water like a sponge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drinking
However, hyponatremia, a condition that results from drinking too much water and effectively diluting the sodium content of your blood, can actually be far more dangerous.
—
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
Binge drinking — defined as drinking five plus beverages in one sitting — drove the most liver disease deaths, with the greatest risk among those who engaged in binge drinking while living with type 2 diabetes or hypertension.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
She was then caught drinking a shake the next day, in London.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026
Never swim alone and never go in the water after drinking alcohol.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The Passover Seder is a feast that includes reading the Haggadah, drinking wine, telling stories, eating special foods, singing, and other Passover traditions.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Eating and drinking In a city where eating well is practically guaranteed, Hotel de la Ville still manages to raise the bar.
—Vicki Power, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Ideally, people are waiting two hours before or after taking an iron supplement before drinking coffee.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 23 Mar. 2026
Once identified, prosecutors tracked down surveillance footage, witness accounts and receipts from the chain restaurant Texas Roadhouse and a sports bar known as Miss Vicki's — both in Baytown — to argue Arguello-Acosta had been drinking that night.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
Binge drinking — defined as drinking five plus beverages in one sitting — drove the most liver disease deaths, with the greatest risk among those who engaged in binge drinking while living with type 2 diabetes or hypertension.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
She was then caught drinking a shake the next day, in London.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2026
Never swim alone and never go in the water after drinking alcohol.
—Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026
The Passover Seder is a feast that includes reading the Haggadah, drinking wine, telling stories, eating special foods, singing, and other Passover traditions.
—Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Eating and drinking In a city where eating well is practically guaranteed, Hotel de la Ville still manages to raise the bar.
—Vicki Power, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Ideally, people are waiting two hours before or after taking an iron supplement before drinking coffee.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 23 Mar. 2026
Once identified, prosecutors tracked down surveillance footage, witness accounts and receipts from the chain restaurant Texas Roadhouse and a sports bar known as Miss Vicki's — both in Baytown — to argue Arguello-Acosta had been drinking that night.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drinking
Verb
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Despite rainy March weather outside, the inside of their matcha cafe was buzzing with dozens of customers happily sipping on light green lattes.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Lounging at home, heading to the office, sipping an afternoon spritz—the light, sophisticated layers do, in fact, go with everything.—
India Roby,
Glamour,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Ferrara makes no bones about the catastrophic consequences of so much boozing and chasing the dragon on his personal life and finances.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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At the same time, unlike other artists of the bro-country ilk, Aldean personally refrained from boozing it up throughout the show, waiting to pull out a red Solo cup with a shot of tequila in it until there were just 11 minutes left in a set that ran 97.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The particles that make up these dark nebulae are of a finite size, and that size is extremely good at absorbing visible light.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
26 Mar. 2026
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Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel This cream has mastered the art of hydrating without feeling heavy, thanks to red bean water, which delivers moisture while also absorbing excess oil.—
Lily Wohlner,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This viral anti-slip slow feeder lick bowl helps prevent gulping and bloating, while keeping your dogs entertained for longer with a healthy, fun challenge.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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Yes, gulping the liquid the night before was an ordeal — try drinking three liters of anything in three hours, going to sleep, then waking up six hours later for one final liter.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When a pet bites into the plant, those crystals embed in mouth tissue, which explains why oral irritation and swallowing difficulty are the primary symptoms.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
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If these patterns appear regularly, a medical evaluation can help identify whether swallowing changes are involved.—
Sundeep Venkatesan,
The Conversation,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One need not be a fan of marijuana to realize the dangers of stripping constitutional rights from Americans for imbibing legal products.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
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The poll also suggested that members of Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, were imbibing far less than the generations that preceded them, reinforcing a wealth of anecdotal evidence from bar and club owners that twentysomethings just aren’t enamored of drinking culture.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drinking. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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