1
as in alcoholism
habitual or excessive drinking of intoxicants
unfortunately most of his time in college had been devoted to drunkenness and debauchery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inebriation
the condition of being drunk
officials warning that public drunkenness would not be tolerated, even during Mardi Gras
Synonyms & Similar 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 drunkenness
Begging or drunkenness could mean a week to a couple of months on a chain gang, grading and paving roads, fixing bridges, hauling debris, and otherwise helping to construct the fast-growing city.
—
JSTOR Daily, 21 Oct. 2025
Not even a day after Bethea’s denial of his confession due to drunkenness, a white jail guard said that Bethea had confessed privately to him.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The list of allowable grounds includes malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform official duties.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
Portalatin’s petition seeks to remove Wilder and Saenz using a statute in the Texas Local Government Code that allows for citizens to seek public officials’ removal due to incompetency, official misconduct or drunkenness both on and off duty.
—Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2025
JSTOR Daily, 21 Oct. 2025
Not even a day after Bethea’s denial of his confession due to drunkenness, a white jail guard said that Bethea had confessed privately to him.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The list of allowable grounds includes malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, incompetence, or permanent inability to perform official duties.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Aug. 2025
Portalatin’s petition seeks to remove Wilder and Saenz using a statute in the Texas Local Government Code that allows for citizens to seek public officials’ removal due to incompetency, official misconduct or drunkenness both on and off duty.
—Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drunkenness
Noun
-
Richard’s account would probably differ and have more to do with Lorenz’s alcoholism, depression, erratic work habits, and aversion to sentimentality.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
16 Oct. 2025
-
After being appointed a guardian when her alcoholism came to a head in the early 2000s, Joan lived a quiet life in Boston and stayed relatively out of the public eye.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
On September 30, 2025, Festus Police in Missouri arrested him for public intoxication and notified ICE.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The intoxication thesis says this is all wrong.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drunkenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drunkenness. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share