chiefly Scottish
as in to drink
to take part in drunken revelry spent a good part of his time in Edinburgh birling into the wee small hours of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 birl There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead. Douglas Stuart, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2020 In some parts of the United States, birling contests are annual events. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for birl
Verb
  • Some research has also found that evening folks tend to have less-healthy habits than morning ones—you’re just more apt to do things like smoke and drink at night, for instance.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Stay Hydrated Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water can help prevent cavities and tooth decay for a few reasons.
    Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Many foreign attendees at San Fermín have no stomach for the spectacle and spend their early evenings carousing in local bars instead.
    Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025
  • These increasingly crazed visitors spend their days lazing on the shore, drinking and eating, carousing with prostitutes, and abusing Rosa (played by B-movie actress Leonora Fani, who would also star in the equally notorious vacation film Giallo in Venice) for their own entertainment.
    Erik Morse, Vogue, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • And there are the neighbors who revel at the many nicknames coined for the spot.
    Lauren Brensel, Sun Sentinel, 17 July 2025
  • Discover the city's renowned artisans, who specialize in crafts from gold leaf to pottery, and visit a traditional geisha house to drink sake and revel with Japan’s most delightful entertainers.
    Mark Lakin, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • With narration from the original Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), binge the entire series in full.
    Hannah Kerns, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Britpop music and binging prestige TV shows.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One of his sons, Thomas (Dean-Charles Chapman), though hardly old enough to be in long pants, wears shining armor, while the other son, Hal (Timothée Chalamet), is a slouch who wastes his life in roistering.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2019
Verb
  • Image Image In the village of Midsomer Norton, about 50 miles away, 100 people or so turned out for a community event to wassail three small apple trees in the local park.
    Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
  • This drink was often used as part of wassailing in England.
    BHG Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Birl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/birl. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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