1
a
nautical
: sufficient distance for maneuvering a ship
Keep a clear berth of the shoals.
b
: an amount of distance maintained for safety
give the fire a wide berth
giving him a wide berth until he is in a better mood
2
a
: the place where a ship lies when at anchor or at a wharf
was docked at her usual berth
b
: a space for an automotive vehicle at rest
a truck-loading berth
3
: a place to sit or sleep especially on a ship or vehicle : accommodation
a comfortable cabin with a deep berth
an upper berth
4
a
: a billet (see billet entry 1 sense 2a) on a ship
waiting for a berth as a ship's surgeon—
Bernard Keelan
Bernard Keelan
berthed; berthing; berths
1
: to bring (something, such as a ship or automotive vehicle) into a berth
The ship was berthed at this pier.
2
: to allot quarters or accommodations to : to allot a berth to
a place to berth the crew
: to come into a berth
where the ship typically berths
Synonyms
Examples of berth in a Sentence
Noun
a comfortable cabin with a deep berth
He has a starting berth on the all-star team.
Verb
The ship was berthed at this pier.
The ship berthed at this pier.
Recent Examples on the WebPaul Krugman, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The Detroit Red Wings clinch their 20th straight playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Nashville.
—Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
The floor is a Wild Card berth, the ceiling is a World Series crown.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
Removing the wreckage will entail getting pieces of the bridge off the ship before the ship can be moved to a safe berth and ensuring that no dangerous debris is left on the riverbed.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Both teams will be on the second night of a back-to-back after winning Monday to move a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the final automatic playoff berth in the West.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 26 Mar. 2024
Because that season embodies what the Royals now hope to replicate at least in some approximate form: Texas had been 68-94 in 2022 and didn’t qualify for the playoffs until Game 161 with a wild-card berth.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024
The Hurricanes earned 13 postseason berths over Meier’s 19 seasons, including 10 straight from 2009-10 to 2018-19.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2024
Prior to arriving at Miami, Meier was the head coach at Charlotte for four seasons, which included an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003, when she was named Conference USA Coach of the Year.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2024
Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
When the terminal opened, Royal Caribbean berthed the Allure of the Seas, a 225-ton, 6,700-passenger ship, at the new terminal.
—John Wayne Ferguson, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Dec. 2023
Pleasure boats were neatly berthed across from us at a private mooring spot.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023
For those who seek something out of the ordinary as a full-time home, a weekend getaway, or maybe even an art studio or workspace, one of the four floating homes berthed in Santa Barbara Harbor is now available to an iconoclast buyer for $4.9 million.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2023
And thanks to its many canals and beaches, Lee County is a haven for those seeking idyllic waterfront views and a calm spot to berth their boat.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2023
When not deployed, the USS Cooperstown will be berthed in Mayport, FL.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 6 May 2023
Guillet planned to convert the ship into a floating dormitory for college students, but finding a place to berth the warehouse-size vessel proved too expensive.
—Curbed, 21 Jan. 2022
So, visibility to a container on land moving by rail or truck matters more than visibility to when a ship will berth.
—Steve Banker, Forbes, 17 May 2022
Noun
Remember when all those ships were steaming back and forth in front of Los Angeles, waiting for a berth?
—Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024
The Detroit Red Wings clinch their 20th straight playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Nashville.
—Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024
The floor is a Wild Card berth, the ceiling is a World Series crown.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
Removing the wreckage will entail getting pieces of the bridge off the ship before the ship can be moved to a safe berth and ensuring that no dangerous debris is left on the riverbed.
—Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024
Both teams will be on the second night of a back-to-back after winning Monday to move a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns for the final automatic playoff berth in the West.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 26 Mar. 2024
Because that season embodies what the Royals now hope to replicate at least in some approximate form: Texas had been 68-94 in 2022 and didn’t qualify for the playoffs until Game 161 with a wild-card berth.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2024
The Hurricanes earned 13 postseason berths over Meier’s 19 seasons, including 10 straight from 2009-10 to 2018-19.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2024
Prior to arriving at Miami, Meier was the head coach at Charlotte for four seasons, which included an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003, when she was named Conference USA Coach of the Year.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2024
Verb
It’s located in Piraeus, the port of Athens, where ancient travelers would often arrive and where the Athenian fleet was built and berthed in the days of Pericles to rule the empire.
—Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
When the terminal opened, Royal Caribbean berthed the Allure of the Seas, a 225-ton, 6,700-passenger ship, at the new terminal.
—John Wayne Ferguson, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Dec. 2023
Pleasure boats were neatly berthed across from us at a private mooring spot.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023
For those who seek something out of the ordinary as a full-time home, a weekend getaway, or maybe even an art studio or workspace, one of the four floating homes berthed in Santa Barbara Harbor is now available to an iconoclast buyer for $4.9 million.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2023
And thanks to its many canals and beaches, Lee County is a haven for those seeking idyllic waterfront views and a calm spot to berth their boat.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 4 June 2023
When not deployed, the USS Cooperstown will be berthed in Mayport, FL.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 6 May 2023
Guillet planned to convert the ship into a floating dormitory for college students, but finding a place to berth the warehouse-size vessel proved too expensive.
—Curbed, 21 Jan. 2022
So, visibility to a container on land moving by rail or truck matters more than visibility to when a ship will berth.
—Steve Banker, Forbes, 17 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'berth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near berth
Cite this Entry
“Berth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/berth. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
berth
1 of 2 noun1
a
: enough room to maneuver a ship
b
: a safe distance
give it wide berth
2
: a place where a ship lies at anchor or at a wharf
3
: a place to sleep on a ship or train
4
berth
2 of 2 verb
: to bring or come into a berth
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