What it means
Means properly drunk, not just a bit merry. If someone's bladdered, they're well past sensible and into loud chat, dodgy ideas, surprise hugs, missed signals, and full belief that every stupid plan is somehow brilliant. It's very British, with a rough pub-night feel, and you hear it a lot in Scotland and across northern England.
Usage examples
"Free bar at the wedding was lethal. I was bladdered by nine, started chatting up the DJ, then queued at the kebab shop like it was church."
"Three pints in and Dave was already bladdered, serenading the kebab van with a song nobody recognised."
"We got properly bladdered at the reunion and spent an hour convincing the taxi driver he was our best mate."
"We were only meant to stay for two, then Kev bought shots and I ended up absolutely bladdered, telling the bouncer he had kind eyes."
"She got bladdered at the works do, lost one heel on the walk home, then ordered chips for the whole taxi like some drunk fairy godmother."
Where it comes from
Bladdered is old British slang built from bladder. The image is of someone filled right up, swollen with drink. It was already being used for drunk by the late 1800s, and it stuck around in UK speech, especially in Scotland and northern England, where it still means seriously boozed, not just tipsy.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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