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
The lack of a recommendation reflected mixed sentiments None of the council members disputed that crime and drunkenness, mini liquor bottle litter and nuisance behaviors are problems to be addressed.
—
Eric Adler
march 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
The Puritans once banned the game shuffleboard, an occasion for gambling and drunkenness.
—Brendan King, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence and studies showing that gun ownership and drunkenness can be a dangerous cocktail.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Rather, a lengthy process can be initiated to remove a member from office for gross neglect of duty, gross immorality, drunkenness, or other misconduct, the Ohio School Board Association stated.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Mar. 2026
He was detained again in 2017 for an assault in Queens, then six months later arrested for suspicion of public drunkenness in Georgia.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
He was twice arrested in 2017, first for assault in Queens, and then in George for suspicion of public drunkenness.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
LaBeouf has had several run-ins with the law during his career, including an early 2017 New York arrest for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct that was captured on a livestream video.
—Juan A. Lozano, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
The public drunkenness allegation was dropped and LaBeouf eventually apologized, citing his addiction as a struggle.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
Eric Adler
march 31, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
The Puritans once banned the game shuffleboard, an occasion for gambling and drunkenness.
—Brendan King, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence and studies showing that gun ownership and drunkenness can be a dangerous cocktail.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Rather, a lengthy process can be initiated to remove a member from office for gross neglect of duty, gross immorality, drunkenness, or other misconduct, the Ohio School Board Association stated.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Mar. 2026
He was detained again in 2017 for an assault in Queens, then six months later arrested for suspicion of public drunkenness in Georgia.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
He was twice arrested in 2017, first for assault in Queens, and then in George for suspicion of public drunkenness.
—Jami Ganz, Mercury News, 18 Feb. 2026
LaBeouf has had several run-ins with the law during his career, including an early 2017 New York arrest for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct that was captured on a livestream video.
—Juan A. Lozano, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
The public drunkenness allegation was dropped and LaBeouf eventually apologized, citing his addiction as a struggle.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drunkenness
Noun
-
Olsen also looks back on his parents' divorce, his mother's journey with alcoholism and his own experience with addiction, per the book's synopsis.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Those were rain, housecleaning, and alcoholism.—
Douglas Stuart,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The sources told the magazine that Patel frequently drinks to the point of conspicuous intoxication, and that his security detail has at times struggled to wake him due to apparent inebriation.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Ultimately, jurors sided with prosecutors whose 2023 criminal indictment outlined numerous instances of teens getting injured as a result of their inebriation under her watch.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The sources told the magazine that Patel frequently drinks to the point of conspicuous intoxication, and that his security detail has at times struggled to wake him due to apparent inebriation.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2026
-
If substantiated, such conduct would violate the Department of Justice’s ethics standards, which prohibit habitual intoxication.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drunkenness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drunkenness. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
