1
as in gorging
to eat greedily or to excess
they can spend hours at the pub, drinking, chatting, and swilling
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of swilling
There’s the youngest, most freewheeling son’s habit of swilling cold coffee while watching The Gong Show.
—
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Spirit swilling was down 5% in California, compared with a 4% drop nationwide.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
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
Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Spirit swilling was down 5% in California, compared with a 4% drop nationwide.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swilling
Verb
-
With the third season of ‘The Vampire Lestat’–AMC’s series adaptation of Anne Rice’s iconic vampire novels of the same name–underway, viewers are once again gorging on a visual feast thanks to costume designer Lex Wood.—
Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
The big one is preferred stock, a source for buying Bitcoin that Saylor’s been gorging on since early 2025.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The lobby bar, called The Living Room, was busy with groups of friends sipping hot toddies and Champagne at low tables and around the fireplace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
Fans can catch the action on the brewery’s TVs while sipping $5 pints of Olde Meck or Hornets Nest, depending on the match day.—
Evan Moore
June 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Consider transplanting smaller plants farther away so that feasting birds will leave their messy droppings elsewhere.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
-
Before the group came out, a group of extras mimed drinking tea and feasting on pastries, with pinky fingers aloft — per the song’s innate spoofing of the etiquette stereotypically associated with tea drinking.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
The weather service suggests drinking plenty of fluids, staying indoors with air-conditioning and out of the sun, and checking up on relatives and neighbors.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
-
The couple had been drinking at a Westlake Village cantina and were heading to Grossman’s home to watch a presidential debate.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Others can’t stand the sound of gulping.—
Sloane Crosley,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
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,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swilling. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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