inebriated

/ɪˈniːbrieɪtɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈniːbrieɪtɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈnē-brē-ˌā-təd/ (ame, mw)

inebriated — adjective

  • inebriatedpositive
  • more inebriatedcomparative
  • most inebriatedsuperlative

1. in the state caused by drinking so much alcohol that one cannot speak, walk, or

1.形容詞C2
釋義

in the state caused by drinking so much alcohol that one cannot speak, walk, or think clearly — a formal or humorous way of saying 'drunk'.

例句

By midnight, several guests at Mira's wedding were too inebriated to manage the stairs.

predicative use: 'too inebriated to + infinitive'

Kabir refused to drive home because he felt slightly inebriated after the dinner toasts.

modifier pattern: 'slightly/mildly inebriated'

同義詞
  • drunk

    everyday neutral word; 'inebriated' is the formal counterpart

  • intoxicated

    near-synonym, also formal; favoured in medical and legal writing

  • tipsy

    much milder — only slightly affected; not interchangeable with 'inebriated'

  • plastered

    very informal slang for heavily drunk; opposite register to 'inebriated'

反義詞
  • sober

    not affected by alcohol at all

用法筆記

Formal or jocular replacement for 'drunk'; common in legal, journalistic, and polite contexts where 'drunk' would sound too blunt. Often modified by 'slightly', 'mildly', or 'highly'.

常見錯誤

❌I felt inebriated after one beer.
✅I felt tipsy after one beer.
💡'inebriated' implies clearly impaired by alcohol, not just a mild buzz.
❌The party was inebriated.
✅The guests at the party were inebriated.
💡applies to people, not to events or places.