What does intoxication mean?
Intoxication most commonly means the state of being drunk or impaired by alcohol or drugs. In medical, legal, and public-safety contexts, it describes a condition in which a substance affects a person’s judgment, coordination, perception, or behavior. The word can also refer figuratively to intense exhilaration or emotional excitement, as in descriptions of an audience’s intoxication at a spectacular performance. This figurative use is especially associated with expressive and literary writing, while the practical sense is the more common modern usage. The related adjective intoxicated is often used to describe a person whose behavior has been affected, whereas intoxication names the condition itself. Together with words such as toxicity, the term reflects its history in ideas of poisonous substances and their effects on the body.
nounThe state of being drunk or otherwise unable to function normally because of alcohol or drugs. It can also mean intense excitement or exhilaration.
- The condition of being drunk or impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- A state of extreme excitement, exhilaration, or emotional overwhelm.
"The signs of intoxication became apparent after the celebration continued into the early morning."
"Police said his intoxication was evident when he failed a roadside sobriety test."
"Her intoxication was obvious as she accepted the award and could hardly contain her delight."
Plural form is used when referring to separate instances or cases of intoxication.
"The report documented several cases of intoxication during the festival."
Intoxication can mean either losing control through a substance or feeling so overwhelmed by joy that ordinary words seem inadequate.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intoxication come from?
Intoxication comes through English from the Latin root associated with poison, related to toxicus, “poisonous.” The underlying sense developed from the effect of poison or alcohol on the body, and the word came to mean drunkenness or loss of normal self-control. Its later figurative use extends the idea of being overcome or emotionally overwhelmed. English cognates and derivatives include toxic, toxicity, and toxin, all of which preserve the same association with poisonous substances.
Related word forms
How intoxication is actually used
The medical and legal senses usually concern impairment caused by alcohol or drugs. The figurative sense is more literary and often describes intense enthusiasm, joy, or excitement.