drunkenly

IPA/ˈdrʌŋkənli/
IPA/ˈdrʌŋkənli/

drunkenly — adverb

1. with the unsteady movements, unclear speech, or lack of coordination typical of

1.adverbB2
Definition

with the unsteady movements, unclear speech, or lack of coordination typical of someone who has had too much alcohol to drink

Example

Ravi staggered drunkenly out of the pub and into a waiting taxi.

common verb pair: stagger + drunkenly

Aiko slurred her words drunkenly during the wedding speech and made everyone laugh.

common verb pair: slur words + drunkenly

Common collocations
  • stagger drunkenly
  • lurch drunkenly
  • sway drunkenly
  • slur words drunkenly
  • sing drunkenly
  • mumble drunkenly
Antonyms
  • soberly

    describes doing something in a controlled, clear-headed way, without the effects of alcohol

Usage Note

Commonly pairs with verbs of movement (stagger, lurch, sway) or speech (slur, mumble). Unlike the adjective 'drunk' (which describes a person's condition), 'drunkenly' describes the manner in which an action is performed.

Common Mistakes

He walked drunk across the parking lot.
He walked drunkenly across the parking lot.
'drunk' is an adjective describing a state; use the adverb 'drunkenly' to describe how someone moves.

Word family

Common collocations

Phrases

  • stagger drunkenly
  • lurch drunkenly
  • sway drunkenly
  • slur words drunkenly
  • sing drunkenly

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From the adjective 'drunken' (describing someone affected by alcohol) plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'. 'Drunken' comes from Old English 'druncen', the past participle of 'drincan', meaning 'to drink'.