birch 1 of 2

verb

Definition of birchnext
1
as in to hide
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible students at the private school were once routinely birched for violating the rules

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly always a stern disciplinarian, our father birched anyone who talked back

Synonyms & Similar Words

birch

2 of 2

noun

as in hickory

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of birch
Verb
The fungus and wood fiber combination was applied in thin coats on the surfaces of two types of paper, denim, polyester felt and birch wood veneer, and left in an oven to dry for a day. — New Atlas, 15 Nov. 2025 Because profilin is similar to a protein found in birch pollen, people allergic to birch pollen may also react to celery. — Lauren O'Connor, Health, 14 Nov. 2025
Noun
The shoes have a buttery smooth leather exterior in a neutral birch color that easily complements most everyday looks, according to shoppers. — Tanya Sharma, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 But on a shady patch under a sprawling river birch, ten teens who had wandered over from Stuyvesant High School assemble themselves into breakout groups to discuss Zohran Mamdani’s recently released housing proposal. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 13 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for birch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for birch
  1. hide
  2. lick
  3. hickory
  4. leather
  5. lash
  6. rattan
  7. whip
  8. pound
Verb
  • Early tension could make private stress harder to hide, especially if errands, conversations, or family plans keep pushing you past your limits.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Yet the secondhand market often hides real bargains for those willing to hunt them down.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • That means no tasting cookie dough made with raw eggs, no licking brownie batter off the beaters, and no homemade Caesar dressing made with uncooked yolks.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Sugar maples, oaks and hickory trees turn the bluffs red, orange, and gold.
    — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026
  • After a research trip to Texas steakhouses, Clark switched his kitchen from broiler to hardwood grilling, drawing inspiration from Gallagher’s Steakhouse in New York, his favorite, which cooks over hickory.
    — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 28 July 2026
Definition of hickory
Verb
  • There was lace everywhere and leather too.
    — Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • From Ikebana studios in Kyoto to leather workshops in Florence and tartan looms in Stirling, a growing number of trips now build entire itineraries around a single craft.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Definition of leather
Verb
  • The president has responded to the MAGA criticism by lashing out repeatedly at dissenters, prompting Greene – once a top Trump supporter – not to run for reelection and Massie to lose his primary.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Beijing lashed out, restricting vital commerce and the flow of Chinese tourists on which Japan – the world’s fourth-largest economy – depends.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Definition of lash
Noun
  • It’s fueled by a propane tank that tucks neatly inside the table, which is crafted from a combination of metal and weather-resistant rattan.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 June 2026
  • The set is wrapped in durable rattan with steel frames underneath, and the tabletop is made of weather-resistant acacia wood.
    — Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
Definition of rattan
Verb
  • Lesnar whipped Femi into the steel ring steps shoulder-first, but Femi returned the favor.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Prosecutors allege Williams and several other suspects held a victim against his will, pistol whipped him and stripped him of his belongings, Boyd said.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of whip
Verb
  • Rainwater rushed into Filament Theatre in the Portage Park neighborhood on Monday as severe storms pounded the Chicago area.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • The Jordan and James camps will continue to pound away at each other from their baselines, back and forth, making the rest of us who are undecided feel like chair umpires at a tennis match, head on a swivel.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of pound

Browse Nearby Words

biplanes
birch
birched
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Cite this Entry

“Birch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/birch. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on birch

Nglish: Translation of birch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about birch

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