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
So just fixing my diet, drinking a lot of water, stretching, moving every day, doing the right movements.
—
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025
To paraphrase Fight Club, fighting becomes the reason to keep your nails short, to order salad instead of fries, and to stop drinking on weeknights.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Sipping it slowly instead of drinking it all at once can also help prevent these symptoms.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Plenty had clearly been drinking, with beers costing about $40 for a pair, including a tip.
—Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
While on the trip, his youngest daughters met a group of 18-year-old boys who had been drinking and wanted to hang out with them at their campsite.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
In these cases, drinking excessive amounts can overload your system, causing swelling, shortness of breath or dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
There are of course those families who lean hard into the horror movie vibes for decorations, and the college students drinking cheap beer in skimpy costumes.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 24 Sep. 2025
In the toasty warmth of the holiday season, these two develop a romance after a night drinking alone in a bar at Christmastime.
—Sarah John, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2025
To paraphrase Fight Club, fighting becomes the reason to keep your nails short, to order salad instead of fries, and to stop drinking on weeknights.
—Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 2 Oct. 2025
Sipping it slowly instead of drinking it all at once can also help prevent these symptoms.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Plenty had clearly been drinking, with beers costing about $40 for a pair, including a tip.
—Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
While on the trip, his youngest daughters met a group of 18-year-old boys who had been drinking and wanted to hang out with them at their campsite.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
In these cases, drinking excessive amounts can overload your system, causing swelling, shortness of breath or dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
There are of course those families who lean hard into the horror movie vibes for decorations, and the college students drinking cheap beer in skimpy costumes.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 24 Sep. 2025
In the toasty warmth of the holiday season, these two develop a romance after a night drinking alone in a bar at Christmastime.
—Sarah John, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drinking
Verb
-
Embrace that cozy energy by visiting a pumpkin patch, sipping cider, wearing sweaters or wandering through a charming small town to channel your inner Gilmore.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Beverage aficionados will enjoy sipping at the many mountainside NC wineries or tasting brews at Sideways Farm.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Many are now enriched with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and botanical extracts, such as aloe, which help keep skin hydrated and balanced while clearing pores and absorbing excess oil.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Still, his creation keeps growing, absorbing our reality in the process.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One night Icarius got all his friends together for a wine-tasting party that quickly got out of hand and turned into a wine-gulping party.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The pressure is always on the taker, the player standing, gulping, trying desperately not to unload their lunch onto the turf, preparing to do something theoretically simple — kick the ball into the net from 12 yards with only one opponent able to stop them.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Nearly 3,000 growing chasms have opened up in dozens of towns, swallowing up roads and houses in their path.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The little girl also had trouble swallowing for a couple of days afterward, her mother said.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Millennials and Gen Xers saw a 14-point fall in the last year alone, with just 56 percent of them now imbibing.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drinking. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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