pig out: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
mediuminformal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “pig out” mean?
To eat a very large amount of food, often greedily and without restraint.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To eat a very large amount of food, often greedily and without restraint.
To overindulge in something other than food (e.g., entertainment, shopping) in an excessive manner, though this use is less common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Slightly more prevalent in American media.
Connotations
Universally informal, slightly childish or playful. Can imply guilt or regret after the fact.
Frequency
Equally common and understood in both varieties, but corpus data shows higher frequency in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “pig out” in a Sentence
[Subject] pigs out (on [Object])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pig out” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We're going to pig out on fish and chips after the match.
- I totally pigged out on biscuits while watching telly.
American English
- Let's pig out on burgers and fries tonight.
- I pigged out on popcorn at the movies.
adjective
British English
- 'Pig-out' can be used attributively: We had a real pig-out session.
American English
- We planned a massive pig-out weekend for the Super Bowl.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Highly inappropriate; never used.
Academic
Highly inappropriate; never used.
Everyday
Common in casual conversation among friends and family.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pig out”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Using a direct object without 'on' (e.g., 'I pigged out pizza' is wrong).
- Confusing it with 'pig out' as a noun (it's a phrasal verb).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal and can be self-deprecating, but calling someone else a 'pig' for eating is offensive. The phrase 'pig out' is generally playful when used about oneself or a group.
Yes, the past tense is 'pigged out' (e.g., 'We pigged out last night').
'Pig out' is a casual, occasional act of overeating. 'Binge eat' has clinical connotations and suggests a recurrent, compulsive eating disorder.
Yes, but it's less common and understood metaphorically (e.g., 'pig out on Netflix' means to watch a lot in one sitting). The primary meaning is always related to food.
To eat a very large amount of food, often greedily and without restraint.
Pig out is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Pig out: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpɪɡ ˈaʊt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpɪɡ ˈaʊt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “make a pig of oneself”
- “eat like a horse”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a PIG running OUT of its pen to eat everything in sight.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERSON IS A PIG (when engaging in gluttonous, messy, or uncontrolled eating).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'pig out' correctly?