pig out

Meaning

To eat an exceptionally large amount of food, often quickly and without worry about health or manners. It is a casual, lighthearted phrasal verb used when talking about cheat meals, parties, or comfort food.

Examples

• We decided to order three pizzas and just pig out while watching the game.

  We decided to order three pizzas and just pig out while watching the game.

• I always pig out on movie theater popcorn whenever I go to the cinema.

  I always pig out on movie theater popcorn whenever I go to the cinema.

• After a long week of dieting, she wanted nothing more than to pig out on ice cream.

  After a long week of dieting, she wanted nothing more than to pig out on ice cream.

• They really pigged out at the all-you-can-eat buffet last night.

  They really pigged out at the all-you-can-eat buffet last night.

• It's hard not to pig out when there's so much delicious food at the Thanksgiving table.

  It's hard not to pig out when there's so much delicious food at the Thanksgiving table.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We pigged out ourselves at the restaurant.

  ✓ We pigged out at the restaurant.

  'Pig out' is an intransitive phrasal verb. Do not use a reflexive pronoun like 'ourselves' or 'myself' after it.

• ✗ I pigged out the pizza.

  ✓ I pigged out on the pizza.

  You cannot 'pig out' a specific food directly. You must use the preposition 'on' (e.g., 'pigged out on pizza').

Related Expressions

Practice

• On Friday nights, my roommates and I love to ___ on junk food and watch movies.

  💡 A casual phrasal verb named after an animal known for eating a lot.

  Show answer

  pig out

• I shouldn't have ___ at the buffet; now my stomach hurts.

  💡 Use the past tense of the phrasal verb.

  Show answer

  pigged out