gorge

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈgȯrj 

1

: a narrow passage through land

especially : a narrow steep-walled canyon or part of a canyon

2

: throat

—often used with rise to indicate revulsion accompanied by a sensation of constriction

My gorge rises at the sight of blood.

3

a

: a hawk's crop

b

: stomach, belly

4

: the entrance into an outwork (such as a bastion) of a fort

5

: a primitive device used instead of a fishhook that consists of an object (such as a piece of bone attached in the middle of a line) easy to swallow but difficult to eject

6

: a mass choking a passage

a river dammed by an ice gorge

7

: the line on the front of a coat or jacket formed by the crease of the lapel and collar

gorge

2 of 3

verb

gorged; gorging

intransitive verb

: to eat greedily or to repletion

also : to partake of something in large amounts

gorging on books

transitive verb

1

a

: to stuff to capacity : glut

b

: to fill completely or to the point of distension

veins gorged with blood

2

: to consume greedily

gorger noun

gorge

3 of 3

noun (2)

: the act or an instance of gorging

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• canyon
• cañon
• col
• couloir
• defile
• flume
• gap
• gill [British]
• gulch
• gulf
• kloof [South African]
• linn [chiefly Scottish]
• notch
• pass
• ravine
• saddle

Verb

• cram
• glut
• sate
• stuff
• surfeit

Choose the Right Synonym for gorge

satiate, sate, surfeit, cloy, pall, glut, gorge mean to fill to repletion.

satiate and sate may sometimes imply only complete satisfaction but more often suggest repletion that has destroyed interest or desire.

years of globe-trotting had satiated their interest in travel

readers were sated with sensationalistic stories

surfeit implies a nauseating repletion.

surfeited themselves with junk food

cloy stresses the disgust or boredom resulting from such surfeiting.

sentimental pictures that cloy after a while

pall emphasizes the loss of ability to stimulate interest or appetite.

a life of leisure eventually begins to pall

glut implies excess in feeding or supplying.

a market glutted with diet books

gorge suggests glutting to the point of bursting or choking.

gorged themselves with chocolate

Examples of gorge in a Sentence

Noun (1)

walked the bridge over the gorge, marveling at the spectacular drop

Verb

We gorged on chips and cookies.

We gorged ourselves on chips and cookies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The message advised residents to steer clear of typically dry gorges or canals due to the risk of sudden flooding. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

The national park was dedicated during a ceremony on Oct. 23 on the rim of one of its spectacular gorges. —Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 21 Oct. 2024

Verb

If necessary, vampire bats can gorge and consume four times their body weight in liquid. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024

Cinema operators need patrons to gorge on film offerings to salvage a lackluster year at the movies. —Variety, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1), Verb, and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin gurga, alteration of gurges, from Latin, whirlpool — more at voracious

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

1854, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gorge

• make someone's gorge rise

Kids Definition

gorge

1 of 2 noun

ˈgȯ(ə)rj 

: a narrow passage, ravine, or steep-walled canyon

gorge

2 of 2 verb

gorged; gorging

: to eat greedily : stuff oneself

gorger noun