dry drunk noun 3adjective 1forms 1 noun3 •A recovering alcoholic who is not drinking alcohol, but has relapsed mentally and emotionally;Denise called Frank a "dry drunk." He no longer drank but he continued to indulge in "the same wild, erratic behavior binges" without the "excuse of alcohol" in his system. — 2013 •Any substance addict who has quit using, but remains psychologically dependent.Abstinence leaves me without nicotine, but still living with the old beliefs and behaviors that cry for the drug—in short, living a "dry drunk." — 1990 •Such a relapse.One of the best ways out of a "dry drunk" is to work with another still-suffering alcoholic. — 1995 adjective1 •Being a recovering alcoholic who has quit drinking alcohol, but remains psychologically dependent.But more interestingly, they distinguish between being "dry drunk"—being on the wagon, but still wanting to drink—and being "sober," neither drinking nor wanting to. — 2017 formsdry drunks
