berth

1 of 2

noun

ˈbərth 

1

a

nautical : sufficient distance for maneuvering a ship

Keep a clear berth of the shoals.

b

: an amount of distance maintained for safety

give the fire a wide berth

giving him a wide berth until he is in a better mood

2

a

: the place where a ship lies when at anchor or at a wharf

was docked at her usual berth

b

: a space for an automotive vehicle at rest

a truck-loading berth

3

: a place to sit or sleep especially on a ship or vehicle : accommodation

a comfortable cabin with a deep berth

an upper berth

4

a

: a billet (see billet entry 1 sense 2a) on a ship

… waiting for a berth as a ship's surgeon …

—Bernard Keelan

b

: job, position, place

a starting berth on the team

berth

2 of 2

verb

berthed; berthing; berths

transitive verb

1

: to bring (something, such as a ship or automotive vehicle) into a berth

The ship was berthed at this pier.

2

: to allot quarters or accommodations to : to allot a berth to

a place to berth the crew

intransitive verb

: to come into a berth

where the ship typically berths

Synonyms of berth

Noun

• position
• job

Examples of berth in a Sentence

Noun

a comfortable cabin with a deep berth

He has a starting berth on the all-star team.

Verb

The ship was berthed at this pier.

The ship berthed at this pier.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Packers are chasing a fourth straight playoff berth after going 9-8-1 and losing 31-27 to the Chicago Bears in the NFC wild-card playoff round last season. —Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026

Sean McVay is an elite head coach who led the team to a Super Bowl victory to cap the 2021 season and just had the team within one win of another Super Bowl berth before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. —Dan Zaksheske, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Verb

Flight controllers on the ground will next take control of the arm to berth the Cygnus on the Earth-facing port of the station's Unity Node 1 for unloading. —Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026

Each needs to be berthed, unloaded and reloaded, refueled and repositioned as well as piloted in and out of a complex harbor. —Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English birth, probably from beren to bear + -th

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1667, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing berth

• give (someone or something) a wide berth

Rhymes for berth

• birth
• dearth
• earth
• firth
• girth
• mirth
• worth
• afterbirth
• childbirth
• rebirth
• stillbirth
• tamworth

Kids Definition

berth

1 of 2 noun

ˈbərth 

1

a

: enough room to maneuver a ship

b

: a safe distance

give it wide berth

2

: a place where a ship lies at anchor or at a wharf

3

: a place to sleep on a ship or train

4

: job sense 3, position

berth

2 of 2 verb

: to bring or come into a berth