Meaning & use
binging
Last updated
“binging” is a form of “binge”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitiveinformal
Doing something, especially eating, drinking or watching shows, in a huge amount over a short time with little control.
Grammar: Usually followed by on: he is binging on snacks.
Patterns
- binging on something
She was binging on chips and cookies after the exam.
We spent the weekend binging a whole season of the show.
He admitted to binging on junk food when stressed.
noununcountablemedical
An episode of doing something to excess, such as eating a very large amount of food at once, especially as a disorder.
Grammar: It names the behavior: binging can harm your health.
Patterns
- binging and purging
Binging is often a sign of stress or an eating disorder.
Doctors discussed the link between dieting and binging.
Her binging became worse during exam season.
Word forms
| base form | binge |
|---|---|
| third person singular | binges |
| past tense | binged |
| -ing form | binging |
Common combinations
- binging on snacks
- I caught myself binging on snacks at midnight.
- stop binging
- She is trying to stop binging on sweets.
- binging and purging
- Binging and purging is a symptom of bulimia.
- binging a series
- They were binging a series all weekend.
- binging on social media
- He is binging on social media instead of studying.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gorging
- Gorging is specifically about eating until you are overfull, while binging can apply to any activity.
- overindulging
- Overindulging is milder and suggests a treat taken too far, whereas binging suggests loss of control.
- pigging out
- Pigging out is slang for eating far too much and sounds more humorous.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: binging or bingeing?
binging vs bingeing
Bingeing is an accepted alternative spelling, mostly British, of binging.
Practice
After a stressful week, she spent Sunday ____ on ice cream and old movies.
Choose one answer.
Binging on means doing something excessively. Fasting and skipping mean going without, and sampling means trying a small amount.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “binging”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.