alcoholism

alcoholism — noun

1. a long-term condition in which someone feels unable to stop or control drinking

1.nounC1
Definition

a long-term condition in which someone feels unable to stop or control drinking alcohol, even when it is causing harm to their health, family life, or work.

Example

After years of secret drinking, Ken finally sought help for alcoholism.

help for alcoholism

The hospital opened a new program for adults living with alcoholism.

living with alcoholism

Common collocations
  • struggle with alcoholism
  • seek help for alcoholism
  • recover from alcoholism
  • treatment for alcoholism
  • live with alcoholism
  • family history of alcoholism
Synonyms
  • alcohol dependence

    more clinical and neutral; often used in treatment or research contexts

  • alcohol use disorder

    the current medical and public-health term; more precise in healthcare settings

  • problem drinking

    broader and often less severe; can describe harmful drinking that does not suggest full dependence

  • alcohol addiction

    an everyday phrase that strongly stresses dependence on alcohol

Antonyms
  • sobriety

    being free from alcohol use or intoxication, especially in recovery contexts

  • abstinence

    the deliberate choice not to drink alcohol

Grammar Patterns

struggle with alcoholism

treatment for alcoholism

recover from alcoholism

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. In healthcare and public-health writing, 'alcohol use disorder' is often preferred because it is more precise, and person-first wording such as 'a person with alcohol use disorder' is often used, while 'alcoholism' remains common in everyday English and in older writing.

Common Mistakes

Her uncle has an alcoholism.
Her uncle has alcoholism.
'alcoholism' is usually uncountable, so do not use 'an'.
He recovered of alcoholism last year.
He recovered from alcoholism last year.
use 'from' after 'recover'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Alcoholism' is common in everyday English, but it can sound older and less precise than terms used in healthcare today. 'Alcohol use disorder' is the standard medical label because it describes the condition without defining the person by it. 'Alcohol dependence' is also clinical and highlights the strong physical or mental need to drink. 'Problem drinking' is broader and weaker: it can describe harmful drinking habits even when a doctor would not diagnose a long-term disorder. In short, news reports may mention alcoholism, doctors often write alcohol use disorder, and support workers may talk about dependence or problem drinking. For example, a doctor may diagnose alcohol use disorder, while a family might say they are seeking help for alcoholism.

alcoholism ↗alcohol use disorderalcohol dependenceproblem drinking

Common collocations

Nouns

  • alcoholism treatment
  • alcoholism recovery
  • alcoholism support
  • history of alcoholism

Phrases

  • seek help for alcoholism
  • be in recovery from alcoholism
  • live with alcoholism

Prepositions

  • help for alcoholism
  • recovery from alcoholism
  • struggle with alcoholism

Etymology

ArabicLatinEnglish

Formed in English from 'alcohol' and the ending '-ism'. 'Alcohol' reached English through medieval Latin from Arabic, and '-ism' is a common ending for conditions, systems, or states. Together, the word came to name a condition connected with harmful dependence on alcohol.