binge drinking

noun

: an act or pattern of excessive consumption of alcohol

The reality is, however, that college drinking, especially binge drinking—defined as five or more drinks in a sitting for men and four for women—is a serious, and sometimes fatal, problem.

—Maria Caliri

The contentious tax on alcopops has failed to influence teenage drinkers and done nothing to curb binge drinking, according to the first survey of underage alcohol use since the federal government introduced the excise hike.

—Melissa Fyfe

The Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project has developed strategies to reduce binge drinking by identifying bars that routinely over-serve customers, as well as community festivals that overemphasize drinking.

—Chris Hubbuch

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

a binge-drinking problem

binge drink intransitive verb

binge drank; binge drank also binge drunk; binge drinking; binge drinks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 U.S. adults binge drinks, with 25% doing so at least weekly.

—Annika Olson

binge drinker noun

plural binge drinkers

Respondents who report consuming five or more drinks on at least one occasion during the past month are considered binge drinkers and are at the highest risk for alcohol-related problems.

—Paula Mergenhagen

Examples of binge drinking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The holidays may be a tough time to cut back on alcohol consumption, but people should try to avoid binge drinking and to keep within guidelines of drinking in moderation (two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less a day for women on days when alcohol is consumed). —Katia Hetter, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024

High-intensity drinking is a form of binge drinking. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024

The dangers of drinking too much alcohol are well known, but until recently, much of this attention has focused on the consequences of binge drinking, where an individual consumes four or more drinks in one sitting. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024

The second issue is whether the person engages in binge drinking. —Katia Hetter, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

binge drinking

noun

variants also binge-drinking

: an act or pattern of excessive consumption of alcohol

binge drink intransitive verb

binge drinker noun