1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
obsolete
: saturated with liquid
3
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
… they come from … broken homes, drunken homes …—
P. B. Gilliam
P. B. Gilliam
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken brawl
4
: unsteady or lurching as if from alcoholic intoxication
drunkenly
adverb
Examples of drunken in a Sentence
The streets were filled with drunken revelers on New Year's Eve.
He lives in an apartment with his drunken mother.
He fell into a drunken stupor.
A drunken brawl broke out at the bar.
Recent Examples on the Web
Valentine's Day pagan connections Lupercalia was a debaucherous festival that celebrated the coming of spring that included animal sacrifices and drunken revelry to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Some may feel that what Bree is doing — cheating on Evan, and lying to Pippa — is worse than the one-time drunken hookup between Lucy and Evan.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
The Feds say nearly a year earlier, he was arrested by Great Barrington Police for drunken driving, but was released before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could take action.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
The debaucherous festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included animal sacrifices and drunken revelry to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
—Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drunken
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Kate Perez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Some may feel that what Bree is doing — cheating on Evan, and lying to Pippa — is worse than the one-time drunken hookup between Lucy and Evan.
—Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026
The Feds say nearly a year earlier, he was arrested by Great Barrington Police for drunken driving, but was released before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could take action.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
The debaucherous festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included animal sacrifices and drunken revelry to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
—Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drunken
Cite this Entry
“Drunken.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drunken. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən 
1
b
: having a habit of drinking too much alcohol
2
a
: resulting from being drunk
a drunken brawl
drunkenly
adverb
Medical Definition
drunken
adjective
drunk·en
ˈdrəŋ-kən
1
: drunk sense 1
a drunken driver
2
a
: given to habitual excessive use of alcohol
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by intoxication
drunken parties
c
: resulting from or as if from intoxication
a drunken stupor
drunkenly
adverb
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