tipsy

adjective

tip·​sy ˈtip-sē How to pronounce tipsy (audio)
tipsier; tipsiest
Synonyms of tipsy
1
: unsteady, staggering, or foolish from the effects of liquor : fuddled
2
: unsteady, askew
a tipsy angle
tipsily
ˈtip-sə-lē How to pronounce tipsy (audio)
adverb
tipsiness
ˈtip-sē-nəs How to pronounce tipsy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of tipsy

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Examples of tipsy in a Sentence

I got a little tipsy at the party last night. our uncle had too much to drink at the wedding and got a little tipsy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nithya Raman was working the beer taps, refilling the glasses of tipsy patrons during a campaign stop at Tom Bergin’s Irish pub in the Fairfax District. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The filmmakers forgot to give her an arc, and so she is reduced to tipsy comic relief in a bad wig. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 Scrolling in the back of an Uber on the way to a party, and slightly tipsy, Roth found his way into another live auction. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2026 The breaking of silence in a tipsy twilight, if only for the sake of comical nonsense, can be as blessed as the break of dawn. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tipsy

Word History

Etymology

tip entry 1 + -sy (as in tricksy)

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tipsy was in 1577

Rhymes for tipsy

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Browse Nearby Words

tipstock
tipsy
tipsy cake
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Cite this Entry

“Tipsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tipsy. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tipsy

adjective
tip·​sy ˈtip-sē How to pronounce tipsy (audio)
tipsier; tipsiest
: unsteady or foolish from drinking
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