What does inebriated mean?
Inebriated is a formal adjective meaning drunk or intoxicated, particularly from the effects of alcohol. It is used in situations where the state of intoxication is being treated as a medical, legal, or safety matter, such as describing an inebriated driver or a person found in an inebriated state. The word has a serious and sometimes clinical tone, which distinguishes it from the more everyday terms drunk and tipsy. Its use can also imply that someone is substantially affected by alcohol rather than merely having had a small amount. In general writing, inebriated often conveys formality and concern, while drunk is more neutral and familiar. The adjective comes from the Latin inebriatus, meaning “intoxicated” or “made drunk,” and is related to ebriety and ebrious.
adjectiveDrunk or in a state of intoxication, especially as a result of consuming alcohol. The term is relatively formal and is often used in legal, medical, or public-safety contexts.
- Intoxicated with alcohol; drunk.
"The driver was taken into custody after police found him inebriated."
"The inebriated passenger was helped out of the taxi by the driver."
"The report concluded that the crash had been caused by an inebriated motorist."
Inebriated comes from Latin roots meaning “to make drunk,” the same source behind ebriety and ebrious.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inebriated come from?
Inebriated derives from the Latin past participle inebriatus, meaning “intoxicated” or “made drunk.” It was formed from the Latin verb inebriare, “to make drunk or intoxicated,” together with the participial ending -atus. The English word entered use in the 17th century, initially in medical and literary contexts. The same Latin root also produced related English words such as ebriety, ebriate, and inebriation.
Related word forms
How inebriated is actually used
More formal and more clinical-sounding than drunk. It is especially common in legal, medical, and safety-related language.