drunken
gb/dɹˈʌŋkən/ us/dɹˈʌŋkən/
B2
English
~ 5900
részeg, részeges, részegen
B2
1
részeg
A2
Usage pattern:
a drunken [person]
The police helped a drunken man who had fallen in the street.
She refused to get into a taxi with the loud, drunken strangers.
Security guards escorted a group of drunken football fans out of the stadium.
He apologized the next day for shouting at her in his drunken state.
Learner examples
A drunken man was singing in the park.
They tried to calm their drunken friend.
The bus driver did not let the drunken passenger on.
I felt scared when a drunken stranger followed us.
Common mistake:
Learners often say *"He is drunken"* to describe someone's condition. In modern English we almost always say *"He is drunk"* (not *drunken*) after the verb. Use *drunken* mainly before a noun: *a drunken man*, *a drunken guest*.
Meaning
intoxicated with alcohol
Collocations
drunken man
|drunken woman
|drunken stranger
|drunken tourists
|drunken crowd
|drunken friends
Synonyms
drunk (More common in everyday speech; used both before and after the noun (a drunk man / he is drunk), while 'drunken' is mostly before the noun.)
|
intoxicated (More formal and technical; often used in medical or legal contexts.)
Antonyms
sober (Describes someone who has not been drinking alcohol, or is not affected by alcohol.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|social life
|daily_life
Definition
Describes a person who has drunk a lot of alcohol and cannot act or think normally.
Describes a person who has consumed so much alcohol that their behavior, speech, or judgment is clearly affected.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
a drunken [event]
He was arrested after a drunken brawl outside the club.
A klub előtt kitört részeges verekedés után őrizetbe vették.
They laughed about their drunken adventures from the trip years later.
Évekkel később is nevettek az utazáson átélt részeges kalandjaikon.
She still regrets the email she sent in a drunken moment.
The victim died in a drunken driving accident on the highway.
Learner examples
They had a big drunken party and the neighbors complained.
Nagy, részeges bulit csaptak, és a szomszédok panaszkodtak.
He started a drunken fight in the bar.
Részegen verekedést kezdett a bárban.
She made many drunken phone calls that night.
The town is trying to stop drunken driving on weekends.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think *drunken* is only for people, but it is very common before event nouns: *drunken brawl*, *drunken fight*, *drunken driving*. Also, in American English *drunk driving* is more common than *drunken driving*, but both are correct.
Meaning
involving drunk people or behavior
Collocations
drunken brawl
|drunken fight
|drunken party
|drunken celebration
|drunken night
|drunken driving
Synonyms
alcohol-fueled (Often used in news and formal writing; highlights alcohol as the main cause.)
|
drink-fuelled (Mainly British spelling; slightly more informal and journalistic.)
Antonyms
sober (Used attributively (e.g., 'sober discussion', 'sober driver') to emphasize that no alcohol is involved.)
Themes
daily life
|law
|social life
|daily_life
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Describes a fight, party, accident, or other event that happens because people are drunk.
Describes events, actions, or situations that involve or are caused by people who are drunk.
Grammar
Dictionary form
drunken
IPA
GB/dɹˈʌŋkən/
US/dɹˈʌŋkən/
Syllables & stress
drunk - en (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (drunk)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: drunken
Word family
Core family
Related words
drinker
noun
drunkenly
adverb
drunkard
noun
Negative and opposite forms
sober
adjective A2
sobriety
noun
Expressions
drunken brawl
1/dɹˈʌŋkən bɹˈɔl/
fixed phrase
noisy fight involving drunk people
A loud, confused fight that happens because people are very drunk.
Examples
- Several people were injured in a drunken brawl outside the stadium.
- Police broke up a drunken brawl in the city center.
- The quiet pub turned into a scene of a drunken brawl after midnight.
drunken driving
1/dɹˈʌŋkən dɹˈaɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
driving while intoxicated by alcohol
Driving a car or other vehicle after drinking too much alcohol.
Examples
- He lost his license for drunken driving.
- The government has introduced tougher penalties for drunken driving.
- Public campaigns warn young people about the dangers of drunken driving.
drunken rage
1/dɹˈʌŋkən ɹˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
violent anger when drunk
Very strong, uncontrolled anger that happens when someone is drunk.
Examples
- In a drunken rage, he smashed all the plates.
- The attack was carried out in a drunken rage after an argument.
- She was terrified by his drunken rage and left the house.
drunken sailor
1/dɹˈʌŋkən sˈeɪlɚ/
fixed phrase
literary
very drunk sailor (song phrase)
A sailor who is very drunk; widely known from the traditional song "What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?"
Examples
- The band played "What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?" at the pub.
- He staggered down the street like a drunken sailor.
- Children learned the sea shanty about the drunken sailor at camp.
in a drunken stupor
1/ˈɪn ə dɹˈʌŋkən stˈupɚ/
fixed phrase
almost unconscious from alcohol
So drunk that you can barely move, speak, or understand what is happening.
Examples
- He lay on the sofa in a drunken stupor.
- They found her in a drunken stupor on the kitchen floor.
- The actor was photographed in a drunken stupor outside the bar.