DWI

abbreviation or noun

plural DWIs
1
US : the crime of driving a vehicle while intoxicated : dui
was arrested for DWI
a DWI charge/case
2
US : an arrest or conviction for driving while intoxicated
Brian's license had been revoked and his new job threatened after a third DWI.Lee Durkee
3
US : a person who is arrested for or convicted of driving under the influence
a convicted DWI

Examples of DWI in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
He was also booked into jail on an intoxication charge in 2012 and convicted of a DWI in South Dakota in 2008. Timia Cobb breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026 Since his father’s third DWI, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has spoken out about the incident. Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026 Espinosa, 42, was on her way to work when she was struck by a driver who has since been charged with DWI and running a red light. Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026 Fort Worth City Council member Elizabeth Beck asked for a report on how police prevent drunken driving, during the council’s first meeting since her colleague Michael Crain’s DWI arrest. Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for DWI

Word History

Etymology

driving while intoxicated

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of DWI was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“DWI.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/DWI. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Legal Definition

DWI

abbreviation
driving while intoxicated
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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