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
But drinking them throughout the day in place of water has not been recommended for most people, researchers said.
—
Mike Snider, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Brynn, who had struggled with alcohol and cocaine abuse in the past, had recently begun drinking again after nearly a decade of sobriety.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
An Australian nightclub operator said pop star Katy Perry and actor Ruby Rose were drinking heavily on the night Perry allegedly assaulted Rose at Melbourne’s Spice Market.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
O'Hare International Airport workers drinking on the job and Chicago Police Department employees scamming the federal government were just some of the jaw-dropping findings in the latest quarterly report from the city's inspector general.
—Chris Tye, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Some research found that drinking tea with meals reduced iron absorption by at least 85%.
—Heidi Cope, Health, 15 Apr. 2026
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
In another viral TikTok video from 2024, a Charlotte-area man was captured drinking a beer while sitting on a horse outside an ABC liquor store.
—Nick Sullivan
april 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Whether as a result of the bottle being exposed to heat or sunlight, left sitting on a shelf for long periods, or simply being squeezed, plastic particles can leach into the water—and then into the body of the person drinking it.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026
Mike Snider, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Brynn, who had struggled with alcohol and cocaine abuse in the past, had recently begun drinking again after nearly a decade of sobriety.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
An Australian nightclub operator said pop star Katy Perry and actor Ruby Rose were drinking heavily on the night Perry allegedly assaulted Rose at Melbourne’s Spice Market.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
O'Hare International Airport workers drinking on the job and Chicago Police Department employees scamming the federal government were just some of the jaw-dropping findings in the latest quarterly report from the city's inspector general.
—Chris Tye, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Some research found that drinking tea with meals reduced iron absorption by at least 85%.
—Heidi Cope, Health, 15 Apr. 2026
Old Herald clippings from 1986 reported about homeowners toilets and sinks smelling like gas, a 3-year-old getting rashes and fevers from drinking the well water and fear of driers exploding.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
In another viral TikTok video from 2024, a Charlotte-area man was captured drinking a beer while sitting on a horse outside an ABC liquor store.
—Nick Sullivan
april 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Whether as a result of the bottle being exposed to heat or sunlight, left sitting on a shelf for long periods, or simply being squeezed, plastic particles can leach into the water—and then into the body of the person drinking it.
—Hannah Coates, Vogue, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drinking
Verb
-
Robert could often be seen sipping a coffee and reading on one of the many benches in the square.—
Joe Brandt,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
That might mean slipping on an eye mask, starting a calming podcast, and sipping water or herbal tea.—
Alesandra Dubin,
Southern Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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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Sahai echoed the concern, noting that outside the Middle East, exporters were absorbing much of the increase in freight costs, with only part of it passed on to importers.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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Each character has totally justified and totally unjustified reasons for resenting one another, and the sensation of absorbing those contrasting opinions is like being in a stuck bumper car, barraged and battered from all sides.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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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In February, Weber voluntarily recalled 3 million brushes after at least 38 reports of small wire bristles breaking, including four reports of consumers swallowing bristles.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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The notion of the swaggering state swallowing a chunk of its resistant neighbor is completely far-fetched.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 18 Apr. 2026.
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