1
as in gorging
to eat greedily or to excess
they can spend hours at the pub, drinking, chatting, and swilling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sipping
to swallow in liquid form
they gathered in the break room each morning to swill coffee together before the morning meeting
Synonyms & Similar 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 swilling
Cate Blanchett, ‘Blue Jasmine’ (2014) Blanchett delivers an enjoyably tragicomic turn in Woody Allen's dramedy as a booze-swilling, Xanax-popping hot mess.
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
People who would never be caught dead swilling neon fizz from a camouflage can were suddenly consuming a drink that was materially the same, but was being sold by exploiting a different set of unattainable aspirations, using a different vocabulary.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Vicky Dawson is loopy and judgmental as Becca’s wine-swilling mom Nat.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Editors and influencers piled into the train-carriage narrow Ojii restaurant on the Left Bank, swilling lychee martinis and Champagne before settling in for rounds of wagyu beef, tuna tartare, tempura and — of course — sushi.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 18 Nov. 2025
Fighting off hordes of alien monstrosities AND digging for rare minerals in outer space as a crew of beer-swilling, ass kicking space dwarves?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
People who would never be caught dead swilling neon fizz from a camouflage can were suddenly consuming a drink that was materially the same, but was being sold by exploiting a different set of unattainable aspirations, using a different vocabulary.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026
Vicky Dawson is loopy and judgmental as Becca’s wine-swilling mom Nat.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Editors and influencers piled into the train-carriage narrow Ojii restaurant on the Left Bank, swilling lychee martinis and Champagne before settling in for rounds of wagyu beef, tuna tartare, tempura and — of course — sushi.
—Miles Socha, Footwear News, 18 Nov. 2025
Fighting off hordes of alien monstrosities AND digging for rare minerals in outer space as a crew of beer-swilling, ass kicking space dwarves?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swilling
Verb
-
And all those who find the Dodgers’ gorging offensive also tend to overlook that their spending provides real benefits as well.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Of all the schemes that humans have devised to keep sea lions from gorging on the salmon of the Columbia River basin, none has worked for long.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Rewarding yourself for completing a chore could involve sipping an iced latte while reorganizing your closet or cleaning for 20 minutes, then allowing a 5-minute social media scroll.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Within about a month, a lineage of Oceanospirillales microbes proliferated, feasting on cyclohexane.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Most travelers base themselves in either Giglio Porto or Campese, both on the water, and pass their days swimming, sunning, napping, and feasting on fresh seafood at outdoor restaurants.—
Elizabeth Heath,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Jude, a 12-year-old who gets injured in a firework accident, had been drinking with older kids while dealing with instability at home.—
Jonathan Hunt-Glassman,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Patricia explains the process and reminds the woman that drinking coffee before the screening can affect the results.—
Lisa Hughes,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This viral anti-slip slow feeder lick bowl helps prevent gulping and bloating, while keeping your dogs entertained for longer with a healthy, fun challenge.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Yes, gulping the liquid the night before was an ordeal — try drinking three liters of anything in three hours, going to sleep, then waking up six hours later for one final liter.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swilling. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
