occasional drinker

USAGE SUMMARY

"occasional drinker" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who drinks alcohol occasionally or only on certain occasions. Example: Sarah is not a heavy drinker, but she enjoys an occasional drink with friends during special events or holidays.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

He lived for a few years with his beloved maternal grandmother, who was an occasional drinker.

The Guardian

To the occasional drinker, these prices may seem high, but in fact each of these wines could command $20 to $50 more a bottle in some Manhattan restaurants.

The New York Times - Food

She's a major eff-up – alcoholic (well, LA alcoholic, I think we'd call her an occasional drinker), drug enthusiast (prescription and non-prescription), self-destructive, destroys everyone and everything around her, but smart and hilarious.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Maybe for the occasional drinker, the Christmas party lightweight, it's a biannual novelty.

Vice

Alcohol exposure was classified by four categories: never drinker, ex-drinker, occasional drinker or current drinker.

BMJ Open

Further sensitivity tests by treating occasional drinker as the reference group revealed similar relationships among alcohol consumption and CKD (Table  3 and Figure  3).

BMC Nephrology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Participants were defined as non-drinkers if they did not consume alcohol in the previous 6 months, as occasional drinkers if they consumed alcohol occasionally or socially, and as frequent drinkers if they drank frequently or regularly, regardless of the amount they drank.

BMC Nephrology

Non-drinkers were separated from former and occasional drinkers.

The Guardian

For occasional drinkers, a great riesling can be a turnoff.

The New York Times - Food

The social drinkers, binge drinkers, occasional drinkers, and abstainers, after-all, all share an opinion on this 21 Century drug.

Independent

Results: For several cancers (oesophagus, stomach, colon, liver, pancreas, lung, prostate) there was evidence of increased risk among alcohol consumers compared with abstainers and occasional drinkers.

Cancer Detection and Prevention

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about health or lifestyle, use "occasional drinker" to clearly distinguish individuals who consume alcohol infrequently from those who abstain completely or drink regularly.

Common error

Avoid using "occasional drinker" interchangeably with terms like "light drinker". "Occasional" refers to how often someone drinks, while "light" refers to the amount consumed. A person can be an occasional drinker who consumes a large amount when they do drink.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "occasional drinker" functions primarily as a noun phrase, often used as a subject or object in sentences. Ludwig indicates that it's a grammatically sound phrase. As seen in the examples, it serves to categorize individuals based on their drinking habits, as reported by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "occasional drinker" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase to describe individuals who consume alcohol infrequently. Ludwig provides numerous examples from diverse sources, primarily in scientific and news media contexts. It is generally considered a neutral term, suitable for both formal and informal communication. The usage analysis reveals that while it is distinct from terms like "light drinker" (referring to quantity), several semantically related alternatives, such as "infrequent drinker" or "social drinker", exist, each emphasizing slightly different aspects of alcohol consumption habits. Ludwig AI also confirms that the expression is correct and commonly used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infrequent drinker

Emphasizes the low frequency of alcohol consumption.

seldom drinker

Emphasizes the rarity of alcohol consumption.

non-regular drinker

Directly contrasts with regular or frequent drinking.

sporadic drinker

Highlights the irregular and unpredictable nature of drinking habits.

casual drinker

Suggests a relaxed and informal approach to consuming alcohol.

social drinker

Highlights the social context of drinking, rather than frequency.

periodic drinker

Implies that drinking occurs at certain intervals.

light drinker

Focuses on the quantity of alcohol consumed, rather than the frequency.

moderate drinker

Suggests a balanced approach to alcohol consumption, both in frequency and quantity.

weekend drinker

Specifies a particular timeframe for occasional drinking.

FAQs

How can I use "occasional drinker" in a sentence?

You can use "occasional drinker" to describe someone who doesn't drink often, such as: "He's an occasional drinker, only having a glass of wine at dinner parties".

What's the difference between "occasional drinker" and /s/social+drinker?

While both phrases describe people who don't drink heavily, "occasional drinker" focuses on the frequency of drinking, whereas "social drinker" highlights the context in which they consume alcohol, typically in social settings.

Is "occasional drinker" considered a formal or informal term?

"Occasional drinker" is considered a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts, commonly used in health studies, news reports, and everyday conversations.

What are some other terms to describe someone who drinks infrequently besides "occasional drinker"?

Alternatives include "light drinker", "infrequent drinker", or "non-regular drinker", each emphasizing different aspects of their drinking habits.