Definition

Adjective 1. Very drunk; intoxicated to an extreme degree: Describes a state of severe intoxication from alcohol. 2. Foolishly infatuated or obsessed; blindly in love: Describes an irrational, excessive, and often foolish emotional attachment to someone or something.

Usage

• The primary meaning describes a state of extreme drunkenness.
• The secondary meaning describes a state of foolish, excessive infatuation, often implying a lack of judgment similar to being drunk.
• It is often used in a critical or humorous tone to describe someone whose judgment is severely impaired, either by alcohol or by emotion.

Examples

• Adjective (drunk):
  • After the celebration, he was completely besotted and couldn't walk straight.
  • The besotted revelers sang loudly in the street.
• Adjective (infatuated):
  • He is besotted with his new girlfriend and talks about her constantly.
  • She was besotted by the idea of fame and fortune.

Advanced Usage

• "Besotted with/by": This is the standard prepositional construction used with the infatuation meaning.
  • The young poet was utterly besotted with her.
  • He became besotted by the glamour of the film industry.

Variants and Related Words

• Besot (verb, archaic): To make foolish or stupid, especially with drink; to infatuate.
  • The potion seemed to besot his mind.

Synonyms

• For "very drunk": Intoxicated, inebriated, drunken, smashed, plastered, sloshed, wasted.
• For "foolishly infatuated": Infatuated, smitten, obsessed, captivated, enchanted, head over heels.

Antonyms

• For "very drunk": Sober, clear-headed.
• For "foolishly infatuated": Indifferent, unimpressed, disenchanted.

Adjective

1. very drunk