Word
drunken
Phoneticsdrunk·en, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɹəŋkən/
UK/dɹˈʌŋkən/
Definitions
01intoxicated
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. being under the influence of too much alcohol.
adj. intoxicated by alcohol; used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective before a noun.
“The police stopped a drunken driver who was swerving across the road.”
“The witness described a drunken man stumbling out of the tavern just moments before the accident occurred.”
Usage
This adjective is attributive, meaning it typically appears before the noun it describes.
Pitfall
The man was drunken.
The man was drunk.
Use 'drunk' after a verb like 'be' or 'seem'. Use 'drunken' only before a noun, like 'a drunken man'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02caused by alcohol
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. happening because people have been drinking too much alcohol.
adj. characterized by or resulting from intoxication.
“The party ended in a drunken argument over who should pay the bill.”
“The evening descended into a drunken brawl that required the intervention of local security forces.”
Synonyms
03habitual drinker
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. describes someone who is often drunk or has a problem with alcohol.
adj. given to habitual excessive consumption of alcohol; often carries a derogatory or judgmental tone.
“In the old story, the hero's father was a drunken man who lost the family farm.”
“The magistrate noted the defendant's long history of drunken behavior and public disturbance.”
Teaching tip
This sense is often found in literature or formal legal contexts to describe a person's character rather than a temporary state.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Typically, he adopts the pose of a drunken millionaire who has green to burn.” Etymology
From Middle English drunken, ydronken, idrunken, from Old English druncen, ġedruncen (“drunk; drunken”), from Proto-Germanic drunkanaz (“drunken”), past participle of Proto-Germanic drinkaną (“to drink”), equivalent to drink + -en. Cognate with West Frisian dronken (“drunk; drunken”), Dutch dronken (“drunk; drunken”), German betrunken (“drunk; drunken”), Swedish drucken (“drunk; drunken”).
From Middle English dronknen, drunkenen, drunknen, from Old English druncnian (“to drown; get drunk”), from Proto-Germanic drunkanōną (“to get drunk”), from Proto-Germanic drunkanaz (“drunk; intoxicated”). Cognate with Norwegian drukne, drukna, Icelandic drukna.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/drunken