engorge

verb

en·​gorge in-ˈgȯrj How to pronounce engorge (audio)
en-
engorged; engorging; engorges

transitive verb

: gorge entry 1, glut
especially : to fill with blood to the point of congestion

intransitive verb

: to suck blood to the limit of body capacity
engorgement noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web That legacy is now under threat, after New York City voted in 2019 to ban the sale of foie gras, arguing that the way it is prepared, by force-feeding ducks to engorge their livers, amounts to torture and animal cruelty. Kimiko De Freytas-tamura, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2023 Folwell and her colleagues found that snake clitorises contain a tapestry of blood vessels and nerve endings, hinting that the organs can engorge and feel. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2022 But the Fed’s determination to pummel growth will only make matters worse so long as misguided fiscal policies engorge the money supply. Judy Shelton, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 Owners hardly flinch at paying those players millions upon millions in an effort to reach the Super Bowl and engorge already bloated bank accounts. Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2022 Gums bleed and blacken, then engorge and protrude over the teeth or their absent weeping sockets like a dark second set of lips. Bathsheba Demuth, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2021 Most foie gras is made by force-feeding ducks and geese through a tube to engorge their livers up to 10 times their normal sizes. BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2021 Once sufficiently engorged, the larvae drop off the wounds to pupate, emerging as a new generation of flies. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 26 May 2020 Puberty was no prerequisite: boys as young as seven could engorge themselves with silk and satin. Dan Piepenbring, The New Yorker, 23 May 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'engorge.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French engorgier, from Old French, to devour, from en- + gorge throat — more at gorge

First Known Use

1515, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of engorge was in 1515

Dictionary Entries Near engorge

Cite this Entry

“Engorge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engorge. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

engorge

verb
en·​gorge in-ˈgȯ(ə)rj How to pronounce engorge (audio)
1
: to eat greedily : gorge
2
: to fill with blood : congest
engorgement noun

Medical Definition

engorge

verb
en·​gorge in-ˈgȯ(ə)rj How to pronounce engorge (audio)
engorged; engorging

transitive verb

: to fill with blood to the point of congestion
the gastric mucosa was greatly engorged

intransitive verb

: to suck blood to the limit of body capacity
unconscious of the dog tick engorging on his right ankleJohn Barth
engorgement noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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