1
as in sipping
to swallow in liquid form
the doctor wants her to drink lots of water before the examination
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in boozing
to partake excessively of alcoholic beverages
we're worried that she's started drinking again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in absorbing
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
the hot surface of the porous rock drank water like a sponge
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of drinking
As a whole, Gen Z is drinking less than previous generations.
—
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Other ways to keep your blood sugar in check include walking after meals, drinking more water, and practicing strength training.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 30 Apr. 2026
Therefore, drinking caffeine earlier is actually better for boosting energy.
—Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026
Raw milk risks are well-documented Despite raw milk’s popularity, scientists and public health experts warn against drinking it.
—Laura Ungar, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
It will be attended by roughly 150,000 fans, kings and commoners, wearing hats and drinking mint juleps.
—NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
He was also seen drinking from liquor bottles before throwing them, eventually causing one of the bar's shelves to shatter and multiple glass bottles to break.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Factors like drinking alcohol and swimming in choppy surf can turn a routine swim into something dangerous.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 23 Apr. 2026
But with warm weather and wildfire season ahead, community leaders would prefer to see a full reservoir even if the water isn’t suitable for drinking.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Charles Trepany, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Other ways to keep your blood sugar in check include walking after meals, drinking more water, and practicing strength training.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 30 Apr. 2026
Therefore, drinking caffeine earlier is actually better for boosting energy.
—Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 29 Apr. 2026
Raw milk risks are well-documented Despite raw milk’s popularity, scientists and public health experts warn against drinking it.
—Laura Ungar, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
It will be attended by roughly 150,000 fans, kings and commoners, wearing hats and drinking mint juleps.
—NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
He was also seen drinking from liquor bottles before throwing them, eventually causing one of the bar's shelves to shatter and multiple glass bottles to break.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Factors like drinking alcohol and swimming in choppy surf can turn a routine swim into something dangerous.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 23 Apr. 2026
But with warm weather and wildfire season ahead, community leaders would prefer to see a full reservoir even if the water isn’t suitable for drinking.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drinking
Verb
-
Because the hotel sits right at the heart of La Jolla’s center of gravity, locals can always be counted on for brunch in The Mediterranean room on weekends or sipping cocktails at La Sala or The Whalers Bar on a Friday or Saturday night.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Traore mimics sipping tea out of a tea-cup after TDs in honor of his England roots.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ferrara makes no bones about the catastrophic consequences of so much boozing and chasing the dragon on his personal life and finances.—
Nick Pinkerton,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
At the same time, unlike other artists of the bro-country ilk, Aldean personally refrained from boozing it up throughout the show, waiting to pull out a red Solo cup with a shot of tequila in it until there were just 11 minutes left in a set that ran 97.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Each time, Banchero was at the center of it, creating offense, absorbing contact and refusing to let the game slip entirely out of reach.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The best ones contained rice starch, charcoal, and other oil-absorbing ingredients that didn’t weigh down hair or leave behind a white residue.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This viral anti-slip slow feeder lick bowl helps prevent gulping and bloating, while keeping your dogs entertained for longer with a healthy, fun challenge.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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Yes, gulping the liquid the night before was an ordeal — try drinking three liters of anything in three hours, going to sleep, then waking up six hours later for one final liter.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Almost fittingly, when Shula died at age 90 on May 20, 2020, Covid had just started to rage, the budding pandemic swallowing everything.—
Greg Cote
April 28,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
-
His older son has an immune disease called eosinophilic esophagitis, where white blood cells gather in the esophagus and cause issues with swallowing and breathing.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
One need not be a fan of marijuana to realize the dangers of stripping constitutional rights from Americans for imbibing legal products.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The poll also suggested that members of Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, were imbibing far less than the generations that preceded them, reinforcing a wealth of anecdotal evidence from bar and club owners that twentysomethings just aren’t enamored of drinking culture.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drinking. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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