he got drunk

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he got drunk" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing someone's state of intoxication, often in informal or narrative writing. Example: "After a long week at work, he got drunk at the party and started dancing wildly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He got drunk a lot.

The New York Times

"He got drunk on power.

The Guardian

"He got drunk.

The Guardian - Music

He got drunk; he flirted; he rejected Daisy.

The New York Times - Books

And she continued giving him vitamin pills when he got drunk.

The New Yorker

But when he got drunk it was a different story altogether.

The Guardian

"He got drunk, he insulted people," said Mario Tapuy Paredes, a friend at the time.

The New York Times

He got drunk and pulled out a piece of the bannister and hit Mr. Chibby over the head with it.

The New Yorker

Then he got drunk and messaged me again, sometime near midnight, as I uploaded photos and otherwise wasted bandwidth.

The New York Times

He got drunk one day and was taken to the lockup, and we visited him there, on the street.

The New Yorker

He got drunk with George Plimpton and became poetry editor of The Paris Review.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and context when using the phrase "he got drunk". While common, it can be informal. In formal writing, alternatives like "he became intoxicated" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "he got drunk" in academic or professional writing. Opt for more formal and precise language to maintain a professional tone and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he got drunk" functions as a verb phrase, specifically a predicate, describing the action or state of becoming intoxicated. Ludwig AI examples show it used in narrative contexts to depict a character's actions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he got drunk" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe someone becoming intoxicated, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While widely used, it leans towards a neutral to informal register and is most frequently found in news and media contexts. For more formal settings, alternatives like "he became intoxicated" may be more suitable. Remember to consider your audience and the context when choosing the most appropriate phrasing. While "he got drunk" is acceptable, overuse in formal writing should be avoided.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he became intoxicated

Replaces the informal "got drunk" with a more formal term, "intoxicated."

he had too much to drink

Indicates overconsumption of alcohol without explicitly stating intoxication.

he was inebriated

Substitutes "got drunk" with the more literary term "inebriated."

he overindulged in alcohol

A more formal way of saying someone drank excessively.

he was plastered

Replaces "got drunk" with a slang term indicating a high level of intoxication.

he was three sheets to the wind

Employs a nautical idiom for being very drunk.

he tied one on

Uses an idiomatic expression to mean "got drunk."

he imbibed excessively

Uses the word "imbibed" to suggest the intake of alcohol to excess.

he was tipsy

Describes a mild state of intoxication, less severe than "got drunk."

he lost his senses to alcohol

Poetic way to describe someone becoming drunk.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "he got drunk"?

You can use alternatives like "he became intoxicated", "he was inebriated", or "he had too much to drink depending on the context.

Is "he got drunk" grammatically correct?

Yes, the phrase "he got drunk" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English, although it is considered informal.

How can I use "he got drunk" in a sentence?

You can use "he got drunk" to describe someone becoming intoxicated due to alcohol consumption. For example, "After the party, "he got drunk" and started singing karaoke."

What is the difference between "he got drunk" and "he was drunk"?

"He got drunk" describes the process of becoming intoxicated, while "he was drunk" describes the state of being intoxicated. The first implies a change in state, while the second implies a current condition.