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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of birch
Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 28 May 2025
The Ukrainian helicopter, returning from a mission firing rockets at Russian troops, swooped in low over a forest of birch trees and touched down in a clearing in a cloud of dust.
—Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, 11 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for birch
Verb
Ötzi the Iceman had amadou in his supplies (probably for fire-starting), along with birch polypore, which was likely used to fight intestinal parasites.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 28 May 2025
The Ukrainian helicopter, returning from a mission firing rockets at Russian troops, swooped in low over a forest of birch trees and touched down in a clearing in a cloud of dust.
—Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Noun
Find yellow aspen and birch along the shoreline and red maples inland.
—Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune, 11 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for birch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for birch
Verb
-
Weathered and bumpy, the wall hidden among the surplus clothing stores of the Fashion District was hardly the perfect canvas.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2025
-
The palette is a unique blend of pink, tan, and hints of blue-green that add a subtle amount of color while still hiding dirt and debris.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Two new friends spent the afternoon chatting, licking our deliciously unexpected delights and beginning a life-long bond.—
Susan Cunningham Euker,
Baltimore Sun,
14 June 2025
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The viral post opens with a quiet, intimate moment: the Labrador sits beside her puppy, gently licking her head.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Noun
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The meat tastes of hickory and applewood, with notes of citrus and pine from the hinoki.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
-
Puddles offer splash landing-pads to any child in flight; display their dreams through windows into the world above: limbs and last leaves of sumac and hickory, a passing black-capped chickadee, and – down in the far blue – a blouse of cloud.—
contributing Monitor poets,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Underneath her coat, Witherspoon wore an ankle-length black skirt and leather round-toe boots.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2025
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Compare with the Met’s full-size cast, from 1985, and these miniatures cleave the collective anguish into distinct emotions — one figure seems mid-dance, one bored, another ecstatic — in a range of patinas, from dark chocolate to leather.—
Walker Mimms,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Forecasters said Erick was expected over the coming hours to lash Mexico’s Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and a fierce storm surge.—
Luis Alberto Cruz,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2025
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That’s something that our character was going through a really tough moment and feeling really bad and wanting to be angry and lash out., Travis Scott’s music really carries that emotion for a lot of young kids.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
17 June 2025
Noun
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The chair looks like it’s made of rattan, but is actually handwoven from durable synthetic materials in order to be rain, heat, and fade-resistant.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
21 June 2025
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For small areas, this three-piece set is made of weather-resistant rattan, and the chairs tuck snugly under the table when not in use.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The San Diego native whipped a low cross into the box, which both Adriana Leon and Ascanio narrowly missed.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 June 2025
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Chelsea took the lead on 13 minutes when Neto raced away from deep inside the Flamengo half and opened his body before whipping the ball past Agustin Rossi.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
Verb
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The left-hander got pounded a year ago and thumped again in his first taste of big-league action for eight runs in five innings against the Washington Nationals.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
26 June 2025
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Kamala Harris pounded Joe Biden over his stances on busing from the 1970s—a long-ago dispute that even became fodder for J.D. Vance in 2024.—
Andrew Yang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Birch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/birch. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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