hog

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhȯg 

ˈhäg

plural hogs also hog

1

a

: a domesticated swine especially when weighing more than 120 pounds (54 kilograms) compare pig sense 1a

b

: any of various animals related to the domesticated swine

2

usually hogg British : a young unshorn sheep

also : wool from such a sheep

3

a

: a selfish, gluttonous, or filthy person

b

: one that uses something to excess

old cars that are gas hogs

hog

2 of 3

verb

hogged; hogging

transitive verb

1

: to cut (a horse's mane) short : roach

2

: to cause to arch

3

: to take in excess of one's due

hog the credit

4

: to tear up or shred (some material, such as waste wood) into bits by machine

intransitive verb

: to become curved upward in the middle

—used of a ship's bottom or keel

hoggin

3 of 3

noun (2)

hog·​gin

variants or less commonly hogging

ˈhȯgə̇n, 

ˈhäg-, 

-giŋ

plural -s

: a material composed of screenings or siftings of gravel or of a mixture of loam, coarse sand, and fine gravel

Synonyms of hog

Noun (1)

• pig

Examples of hog in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Don't be such a hog! Other people have to eat too!

The new software is a real memory hog.

Verb

He's been hogging the remote control all night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Basic economic theory says landowners would wait for others to spend the time, money and energy to control hogs—which means nobody does, and the problems grow. — Chris Boyer, Scientific American, 16 Aug. 2026

Feral hog populations have been estimated to be able to double in just four months. — Aaron Smith, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026

Verb

Yet somehow, the 469 square miles of New York City tend to hog all the limelight. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 12 Aug. 2026

One backyard might tell you who is hogging the sunflower seeds, but thousands of backyards observed over decades can tell scientists much more. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hogge, from Old English hogg

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1769, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1793, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hog

• go hog wild
• go (the) whole hog
• high off the hog
• high on the hog
• hog cholera
• hog heaven
• hog score
• hog sucker
• hog-tie
• hog wild
• road hog
• whole-hog

Rhymes for hog

• blog
• bog
• clog
• cog
• dog
• flog
• fog
• frog
• grog
• jog
• log
• og

Kids Definition

hog

1 of 2 noun

ˈhȯg 

ˈhäg

plural hogs also hog

1

a

: a domesticated swine especially when weighing more than 120 pounds (54 kilograms) compare pig sense 1a

b

: any of various animals related to the domesticated swine

2

: a selfish, greedy, or filthy person

hoggish

ˈhȯg-ish, 

ˈhäg-

adjective

hoggishly adverb

hoggishness noun

hog

2 of 2 verb

hogged; hogging

: to take more than one's share