inebriate

1 of 3

noun

in·​ebri·​ate i-ˈnē-brē-ət 

: one who is drunk

especially : drunkard

inebriate

2 of 3

verb

in·​ebri·​ate i-ˈnē-brē-ˌāt 

inebriated; inebriating

transitive verb

1

: to make drunk : intoxicate

2

: to exhilarate or stupefy as if by liquor

inebriation

i-ˌnē-brē-ˈā-shən 

noun

inebriate

3 of 3

adjective

in·​ebri·​ate i-ˈnē-brē-ət  -ˌāt 

1

: affected by alcohol : drunk

2

: addicted to excessive drinking

Synonyms

Noun

• alcoholic
• alkie [slang]
• alky
• boozehound
• boozer
• dipsomaniac
• drinker
• drunk
• drunkard
• juicehead [slang]
• juicer [slang]
• lush
• rummy
• soak
• soaker
• sot
• souse
• tippler
• toper
• tosspot

Adjective

• besotted
• blasted [slang]
• blind
• blitzed [slang]
• blotto [slang]
• bombed
• boozy
• canned [slang]
• cockeyed
• crocked
• drunk
• drunken
• fried
• gassed
• hammered [slang]
• high
• impaired
• inebriated
• intoxicated
• juiced [slang]
• lit
• lit up
• loaded [slang]
• looped
• oiled [slang]
• pickled
• pie-eyed
• plastered
• potted [slang]
• ripped [slang]
• sloshed [slang]
• smashed [slang]
• sottish
• soused
• sozzled
• squiffed
• squiffy
• stewed
• stiff
• stinking [slang]
• stoned
• tanked [slang]
• tiddly [chiefly British]
• tight
• tipsy
• wasted [slang]
• wet
• wiped out [slang]

Examples of inebriate in a Sentence

Noun

having performed in countless bars and clubs, the stand-up comedian was used to being heckled by inebriates in the back of the house

Adjective

those inebriate sports fans who yell and scream throughout the game

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One of American drama's most intriguing case studies, Hickey is the hardware salesman who returns to his old tawdry haunt not on one of his periodic benders but on a mission to reform the resident inebriates of their belief in a better tomorrow. —Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 10 May 2018

The group proposed extending the winter shelter through May, boosting treatment for serial inebriates and reporting all homeless incidents and issues to a single coordinator. —Jeff McDonald, sandiegouniontribune.com, 1 Oct. 2017

Verb

According to the report, on the evening before the election, Hegseth, who had been out with three young female staff members, was so inebriated by 1 a.m. that a staffer who had driven him to his hotel, in a van full of other drunken staffers, asked for assistance to get Hegseth to his room. —Jane Mayer, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024

In the film, Rona is often inebriated and completely unaware of how her constant drinking impacts those around her. —Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Or simply to help other individuals in dire straits — like the widow (Whitney Morgan Cox) and daughter (Veda Cienfuegos) of that inebriate driver, their current plight worsened by the bankruptcy brought on by a Bernie Madoff-like financial predator? —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2023

The money covers additional shelter beds, more street outreach, rapid rehousing, safe parking and the serial inebriate program. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English inebryat, from Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriare, from in- + ebriare to intoxicate, from ebrius drunk

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1796, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

inebriate

1 of 2 noun

ine·​bri·​ate

in-ˈē-brē-ət

: a person who is drunk

especially : drunkard

inebriate

2 of 2 adjective

ine·​bri·​ate

in-ˈē-brē-ət,

-ˌāt

: inebriated

Medical Definition

inebriate

1 of 3 transitive verb

ine·​bri·​ate in-ˈē-brē-ˌāt 

inebriated; inebriating

: to make drunk : intoxicate

inebriation

-ˌē-brē-ˈā-shən 

noun

inebriate

2 of 3 adjective

ine·​bri·​ate in-ˈē-brē-ət  -ˌāt 

1

: affected by alcohol : drunk

2

: addicted to excessive drinking

inebriate

3 of 3 noun

ine·​bri·​ate -ət 

: one who is drunk

especially : drunkard