hog

1 of 2

noun

ˈhȯg How to pronounce hog (audio)
ˈhäg
plural hogs also hog
Synonyms of hognext
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 of hog

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Fort Worth's policy was to immediately euthanize feral hogs. Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026 At Uke's Harley-Davidson, the Riding Academy continues to teach new riders how to handle a hog. Ricardo Torres, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
Flatheads and blue catfish hog the spotlight. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026 In fact, the area is so talented that the top leagues tend to hog all the attention — and for good reason. Tarek Fattal, Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hog

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hog was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hog. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

hog

1 of 2 noun
ˈhȯg How to pronounce hog (audio)
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

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