2 syllables: drunk, en. Stress on drunk.
DRUHNG-kuhn
/ˈdɹʌŋkən/
drunken is pronounced DRUHNG-kuhn (/ˈdɹʌŋkən/). It has two syllables (drunk-en), with the stress on "drunk". Drunken describes someone affected by or relating to intoxication, typically resulting in unsteady movements and impaired judgment. Used as an adjective for behavior or appearances and, less commonly, as a noun in phrases like “the drunken.” The term conveys a state of inebriation rather than a medical condition, and it’s often paired with nouns like driving, behavior, or slurring speech to emphasize the influence of alcohol.
Drunken describes someone affected by or relating to intoxication, typically resulting in unsteady movements and impaired judgment. Used as an adjective for behavior or appearances and, less commonly, as a noun in phrases like “the drunken.” The term conveys a state of inebriation rather than a medical condition, and it’s often paired with nouns like driving, behavior, or slurring speech to emphasize the influence of alcohol.
- You may over-articulate the first syllable, turning /ˈdrʌŋ/ into a longer, tense vowel like /ˈdrɔːŋ/. Keep it short and crisp: /ˈdrʌŋ/. - The transition from /ŋ/ to /k/ is easy to mush; practice the clear boundary: /ŋ/ immediately followed by the hard /k/ without an extra vowel. - Second syllable can be reduced too much to /ən/; ensure you retain a light, near-silent but audible /n/ and an almost imperceptible /ə/ before it. - Many speakers insert a vowel after /d/ or before /ŋ/ (e.g., /drɪŋ.kən/); keep the cluster tight: /drʌŋ.kən/. - In rapid speech, people might drop the /ŋ/ or merge /ŋk/; train with slow speed and then increase pace with clean /ŋ/ + /k/ sequence.
"The man staggered out of the bar, clearly drunken after a long night of celebrating."
"Her drunken merriment gave way to clumsy dancing and loud laughter in the crowded club."
"Police questioned the drunken driver who veered across the lane before pulling over."
Pronounce as DRUHN-kən, with the first syllable stressed: /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/. The vowel in the first syllable is the short “uh” sound, similar to 'cup' but clipped. The second syllable reduces to a schwa /kən/. Keep the 'n' in the second syllable light. Linkers in natural speech may reduce the second syllable slightly, but avoid losing the N entirely. IPA guidance: US/UK/AU share /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/; aim for a clean, single-tulse onset and a crisp /ŋ/ before /kən/.
Most speakers misplace the stress or drift the vowel in the first syllable. Common errors: mispronouncing the first syllable as ‘dree-yunken’ or ‘drain-kən’ by overemphasizing a long vowel; dropping the ‘r’ or softening the /d/ into a more aspirated sound; or treating the second syllable as /əˈɹn/ instead of /kən/. To correct: keep the primary stress on the first syllable with /ˈdrʌŋ/; clutch the /ŋ/ before the /kən/; end with a relaxed /ən/. Practice with the sequence DRʌ ŋ.kən, ensuring the first vowel stays lax and short.
Across US/UK/AU the core IPA stays /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/. US tends to rhotic voiced linking less pronounced in connected speech; UK and AU are non-rhotic to varying degrees in rapid speech, but this word preserves the /r/ absence naturally. Vowel quality can shift: US might have a slightly tenser /ʌ/; UK and AU may approach /ɐ/ or a more centralized vowel in casual speech. Final /ən/ remains a light, unstressed schwa-like or syllabic n. Overall, the main differences lie in vowel height and the speed of the second syllable’s reduction.
Because it combines a tense, short vowel in the first syllable with a nasal onset leading into a coalescent consonant cluster /ŋ.k/. The transition from /dr/ to /ʌ/ to /ŋ/ requires precise tongue placement: /d/ touch, /r/ ridge contact, /ʌ/ near-central lower jaw, then the velar nasal /ŋ/ before /k/ and the schwa /ən/. Rapid speech can blur the /ŋ/ into /n/ or merge /kən/. Visualizing the tongue bridging from alveolar to velar and keeping the voicing steady helps. Use canonical IPA cues: /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/ and slow practice before speeding up.
Drunken has no silent letters; every letter contributes to pronunciation. The second syllable’s vowel is typically a reduced schwa, so the /ə/ in /kən/ is not fully stressed. The main feature is the strong stress on the first syllable and the velar nasal /ŋ/ preceding the /k/ sound, which can be tricky when embedded in fast speech. Focus on saying /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/ with a crisp /ŋ/ and a light, almost whispered /ən/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "drunken"!
- US: emphasize rhoticity via a slightly brighter /ɹ/ on the preceding/cluster, while keeping /ʌ/ as a centralized vowel; the second syllable remains reduced. - UK: keep a crisp, non-rhotic intonation; vowels lean toward more centralized /ʌ/ with less lip rounding; ensure /ŋkən/ remains distinct. - AU: tends to be more nasalized, a subtle shift toward /ɐ/ or a broader /ʌ/; keep the /ŋk/ cluster tight and avoid elongating the second vowel. IPA references: /ˈdrʌŋ.kən/ across dialects; practice linking gradually in casual speech to avoid vowel insertions.
Drunken derives from the Middle English drunken (c. 13th–15th centuries), formed from drinken (to drink) with the suffix -en, indicating state or quality. Its lineage traces to Old English druncen or drinken, related to the verb drink, and connected to similar Germanic formations that denote being under the influence of alcohol. The core idea centers on intoxication and the resulting loss of restraint. By Early Modern English, the term was commonly used to describe a person who has consumed enough alcohol to be visibly affected, often emphasized in literary and legal texts. Over time, “drunken” broadened in informal usage to describe behavior and appearance rather than strictly physical intoxication, and it appears in idiomatic expressions (e.g., drunken sailor, drunken stupor). Its semantic domain overlaps with terms like intoxicated, but “drunken” carries a stronger moral and behavioral condemnation in many contexts, reinforcing the stereotype of excessive drinking rather than moderate consumption. First known uses appear in writings where inebriation is a central motif, especially in moral and social commentary pieces from the 16th to 18th centuries, gradually cementing the word as a standard modifier for drunkenness across dialects.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "drunken" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "drunken" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "drunken" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "drunken"
-ken sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
