Meaning & use
go hog wild
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformal
To become extremely excited and start behaving in a wild, uncontrolled way, often spending or celebrating freely.
Grammar: Used as an intransitive verb phrase: 'They went hog wild.' It does not take an object.
Patterns
- go hog wild
- go hog wild on something
- go hog wild with something
When the sale started, shoppers went hog wild and bought everything in sight.
The kids went hog wild when they saw the pile of presents.
He went hog wild on decorations for his daughter's birthday party.
Word forms
| third person singular | goes hog wild |
|---|---|
| past tense | went hog wild |
| past participle | gone hog wild |
| -ing form | going hog wild |
Common combinations
- go hog wild on something
- They went hog wild on snacks for the party.
- go hog wild with something
- She went hog wild with the glitter and made a mess.
- go hog wild at the sales
- People go hog wild at the sales every January.
Synonyms and how they differ
- go wild
- A more general phrase meaning to become very excited or uncontrolled; it can be used in more situations than 'go hog wild'.
- go overboard
- This means to do something too much or too enthusiastically, often with a hint of criticism; 'go hog wild' is more about wild excitement.
Opposites
Commonly confused: go hog wild or hog?
go hog wild vs hog
A hog is a large pig; 'go hog wild' is an idiom and does not literally involve a pig.
Practice
What does 'go hog wild' mean in the sentence: 'The fans went hog wild when the band appeared'?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means to become extremely excited and wild, which fits fans seeing a band. It does not mean leaving quietly, farming pigs, or complaining.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “go hog wild”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.