What does drunk mean?
"Drunk" is primarily an adjective describing someone whose judgment, speech, or coordination has been impaired by consuming alcohol. It derives from the verb "drink," serving historically as its past participle alongside "drank" (simple past). Beyond its core sense, "drunk" functions as a noun referring to a habitual heavy drinker — often with negative connotation — and appears in fixed expressions such as "dead drunk," "drunk driving," and "punch-drunk." While widely understood across English-speaking regions, it sits at a neutral-to-informal register; more formal alternatives include "intoxicated" or "inebriated." The word carries both descriptive and moral weight depending on context, making it useful but sometimes loaded. Its etymology connects it to a broader Germanic word family that includes "drench" and "drown," reflecting how deeply ideas about liquid and consumption are woven into the language's history.
Affected by alcohol to the point of visible impairment of physical or mental faculties.
"She was so drunk she could barely walk straight."
Neutral in tone but informal; formal registers favor "intoxicated" or "inebriated".
A person who habitually drinks excessive amounts of alcohol.
"He became known around town as a hopeless drunk."
Often pejorative; "alcoholic" is the preferred clinical term.
Past participle of the verb "drink", used with auxiliary verbs (e.g., have, had) to form perfect tenses.
"They have drunk every bottle in the cellar."
Standard in British and American English; some dialects use "drunk" where "drank" would be standard.
English once had a whole family of drink-related verbs — drink, drench, and drown all descend from the same ancient root, which says something about how our ancestors saw water.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of drunk
Old English had "druncen," the past participle of "drincan" (to drink), which evolved into Middle English "drunken" and later shortened to "drunk." The adjectival sense of being intoxicated developed from this participial use. It shares a common Proto-Germanic root with words such as "drench" and "drown," all tracing back to the idea of absorbing or being overwhelmed by liquid. Cognates appear across Germanic languages, reflecting the word's deep roots in the family of Indo-European tongues.
Related word forms
How drunk is actually used
In formal writing, "intoxicated" or "inebriated" may be preferred over the more colloquial "drunk". The adjective is informal-to-neutral in register; the noun sense ("a drunk") can carry pejorative connotations. In legal contexts, "under the influence" or "intoxicated" is typically used rather than "drunk".
Easily confused with drunk
"Drank" is the simple past tense of the verb "drink" (she drank the water), while "drunk" is the past participle used with have/had/had and also an adjective describing intoxication.