Meaning & use
drunk like a skunk
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformalhumorous
Very drunk, used in a joking way that rhymes.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb such as be or get; it describes a person, not a drink.
Patterns
- be drunk like a skunk
- get drunk like a skunk
He came home drunk like a skunk and could not find his keys.
By midnight most of the wedding guests were drunk like a skunk.
Common combinations
- get drunk like a skunk
- They got drunk like a skunk at the office party.
- come home drunk like a skunk
- She came home drunk like a skunk after the reunion.
- drunk like a skunk on cheap beer
- He was drunk like a skunk on cheap beer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- blind drunk
- Also informal and means extremely drunk, but it does not rhyme and sounds a little harsher.
- wasted
- Slang for very drunk or affected by drugs; more common among younger speakers.
- tipsy
- Much milder: slightly drunk and cheerful, not seriously drunk.
Opposites
Commonly confused: drunk like a skunk or stunk?
drunk like a skunk vs stunk
Stunk is the past tense of stink (to smell bad). Skunk is the animal, and only skunk makes the rhyme work.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase describes a person who is very drunk, so it follows be or get with a person as the subject. Option 1 wrongly describes the beer, option 3 changes the fixed wording, and option 4 uses the phrase with an unrelated meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “drunk like a skunk”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.