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

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 2

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

Synonyms

Noun

• cormorant
• glutton
• gorger
• gormandizer
• gourmand
• overeater
• pig
• stuffer
• swiller

Examples of hog in a Sentence

Noun

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

The sections with sticky, sloppy mud and hog ruts threatened to take the shoes right off our feet. —Patrick Connolly, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Nov. 2024

Mines require fleets of drill rigs, trucks, diggers, and other heavy machinery, energy hogs that account for as much as seven percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gases. —Vince Beiser, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024

Verb

The euro, meanwhile, which has hogged the headlines of late, recovered versus the greenback as political turmoil in France sent traders scrambling for hedging protection against further price swings. —Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024

But realistically, the usual suspects are going to hog the trophies. —Stewart Mandel, The Athletic, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English hogge, from Old English hogg

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1769, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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

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