If you go on drinking so much, you may well end up an alcoholic.
Source: tatoeba (41547)
Alcoholic
/ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/
Synonyms for "alcoholic" (159 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (32)
acidheadaddictalcoholic addictalternating personalityantisocial personalityardentbacchanalbacchanalianbarflybibberbig drunkboozercarouserchain smokerchronic alcoholicchronic drunkcocaine sniffercokiecubeheaddevotee of bacchus
Show 2 more words
dipsomaniacdisordered personality
Adjective(5 words)
Noun(5 words)
Strong matches (48)
disturbed personalitydope fienddoperdouble personalitydrinkerdrug abuserdrug addictdrug userdrunkdrunkarddual personalityemotionally unstable personalityescapistfiendfreakglue snifferguzzlerhabitualhardhard drinker
Show 16 more words
headheavy drinkerheavy smokerhopheadhostile personalityhypehypochondriachypochondriastidiotimaginary invalidimbiberimmature personalityinadequate personalityinebriateinebriatinginferior personality
Adjective(6 words)
Related words (79)
intoxicatingjunkielovepotlsd userlushmalade imaginairemaladjusted personalitymarijuana smokermentally defective personalitymethheadmoral insanitymultiple personalitynarcotics addictneuropathneuroticneurotic personalityoenophilistparanoid personalitypathological drinkerperverse personality
Show 47 more words
pillheadpot companionpotheadproblem drinkerpsychoneuroticpsychopathpsychopathic personalitypsychoticpsychotic personalityrevelerrummyschizoidschizoid personalityseclusive personalityserious drinkersexual psychopathshikkershut-in personalitysnowbirdsoaksoakersocial drinkersociopathsotspeed freakspirituoussplit personalitystewstiffstrongswiggerswillerthirsty soultipplertopertosspottripperuservaletudinarianvaletudinaryvinouswassailerweak personalitywinebibberwinowinywith a kick
Adjective(2 words)
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acidhead, addict, addicted to alcohol, alcohol addict, alcohol dependent.
- Sentence evidence is available for alcoholic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "alcoholic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "alcoholic"
Keep "alcoholic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "alcoholic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "alcoholic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "alcoholic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesMore specific
12 entriesCollocations
11 entriesalcohol dependentalcoholic beveragealcoholic contentalcoholic fatheralcoholic fermentationalcoholic husbandalcoholic motheralcoholic patientalcoholic solutionethanolic solutionthe alcoholic
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
3 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
9 entriesSample sentences
15 total sentences available.
An alcoholic tends not to die happily.
Source: tatoeba (67309)
People under eighteen aren't supposed to buy alcoholic drinks.
Source: tatoeba (73303)
I don't care for alcoholic drinks.
Source: tatoeba (252274)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "alcoholic"?
Closest matches include acidhead, addict, addicted to alcohol, alcohol addict, alcohol dependent.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "alcoholic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.