binge drinking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Formal, Academic, Medical, News Media, Everyday (in discussions of health/social issues)
Quick answer
What does “binge drinking” mean?
The consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, typically leading to intoxication.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, typically leading to intoxication.
A pattern of alcohol consumption characterized by drinking with the primary intention of becoming heavily intoxicated, often within a limited timeframe, and frequently associated with social events, university culture, or problematic drinking behavior that can have serious health and social consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The concept and term are identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly stronger public health discourse in the UK, often linked explicitly to 'town centre' violence and National Health Service costs. In the US, often connected to college/university culture and legal drinking age issues.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK media/public discourse due to longer-standing public health campaigns.
Grammar
How to Use “binge drinking” in a Sentence
[subject] engages in binge drinking[subject] is associated with binge drinking[subject] leads to binge drinking[subject] participates in binge drinkingto binge drink (verb form)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “binge drinking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Students often binge drink on Friday nights.
- He admitted to binge drinking during the holidays.
American English
- Some fraternities have a culture that encourages binge drinking.
- The study focused on teenagers who binge drink.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb; typically part of compound verb 'binge drink')
American English
- (Rarely used as a standalone adverb; typically part of compound verb 'binge drink')
adjective
British English
- The binge-drinking culture in some city centres is a concern for police.
- A new tax aims to curb binge-drinking behaviour.
American English
- The campus has implemented a binge-drinking prevention program.
- Binge-drinking episodes can lead to alcohol poisoning.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussions of employee health programs, absenteeism, or workplace policies regarding alcohol.
Academic
Public health research, sociology papers on youth culture, medical studies on alcohol-related harm.
Everyday
Conversations about weekend plans, health concerns, news stories about alcohol-related incidents.
Technical
Medical/psychological diagnostics (e.g., DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders), epidemiological reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “binge drinking”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “binge drinking”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “binge drinking”
- Using 'binge drinking' to refer to any drinking (must imply excessive quantity/intent to get drunk). Confusing it with 'alcoholism' (which is chronic dependence; binge drinking can be episodic). Incorrect verb form: 'He binged drinked' (correct: 'He binge-drank' or 'He went binge drinking').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Binge drinking refers to a pattern of behavior (drinking excessively in a short time), while alcoholism (Alcohol Use Disorder) is a diagnosed medical condition involving dependence, loss of control, and continued use despite negative consequences. A person can binge drink without being an alcoholic, and an alcoholic may not always binge drink.
Public health bodies often define it numerically. For example, the NHS defines it as consuming more than 8 units of alcohol for men or 6 units for women in a single session. In the US, the NIAAA defines it as a pattern bringing blood alcohol concentration to 0.08% or above (typically 5+ drinks for men, 4+ for women in about 2 hours).
Yes. The word 'binge' has been generalized. You can 'binge-eat' or 'binge-watch' a TV series, meaning to do something to excess in a short period. 'Binge drinking' is the original and most serious collocation.
While excessive drinking has always existed, the specific term 'binge drinking' and its framing as a distinct public health issue gained prominence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, particularly in relation to youth culture and night-time economies.
The consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time, typically leading to intoxication.
Binge drinking is usually formal, academic, medical, news media, everyday (in discussions of health/social issues) in register.
Binge drinking: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbɪndʒ ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbɪndʒ ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to go on a binge”
- “to drink oneself under the table”
- “to tie one on (informal, US)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'binge' like a 'bulge' – you're stuffing a large amount of alcohol into a short time, making your consumption bulge unnaturally.
Conceptual Metaphor
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS A DESTRUCTIVE STORM / A DANGEROUS GAME.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'binge drinking'?