binge
BINJ
/bɪndʒ/
A period of excessive, unrestrained, and compulsive indulgence in an activity, especially eating or drinking.
Implies loss of self-control and consuming an abnormally large quantity in a short timeframe.
The story behind the word. Originally an English dialect word meaning 'to soak' or 'to fill a wooden vessel with water until the wood swells tight'. By the mid-1800s, it shifted slang usage to mean 'soaking' oneself in alcohol, later broadening to include food and other compulsive behaviors.
Word relationships
- spree: A spree often implies cheerful, celebratory indulgence (shopping spree), whereas a binge carries connotations of guilt or compulsion.
- gorge: Gorge emphasizes eating greedily to physical capacity, while binge emphasizes loss of behavioral control.
- moderation: Avoiding extremes in consumption or behavior.
- restraint: Holding back or exercising self-control.
Commonly confused with
- overeat: Overeating simply means eating past fullness; bingeing implies consuming massive quantities rapidly while feeling completely unable to stop.
Word family
- bingeing (noun): The act of engaging in excessive indulgence.
- binger (noun): A person who indulges in excessive bingeing.
Collocations
- binge eating
- binge drinking
- go on a binge
- binge episode
Idioms & expressions
- binge watch (watch multiple television episodes in rapid succession)
Example sentences
- "Extreme caloric restriction frequently leads to a psychological rebound resulting in a binge episode." Behavioral psychology
- "They spent the weekend watching three seasons of the series in a single binge." Modern colloquial speech
Memory hook
BINGEing is like filling yourself up to the BRIM like a soaked wooden barrel. Binge = Excessive, runaway indulgence
When not to use
Do not use for normal, hearty enjoyment of a festive meal; binge requires excessive, rapid, compulsive intake.
Fun facts
- The word was chosen by dictionary editors as word of the year candidate in 2015 due to the explosion of 'binge-watching' streaming television.
Explore more words
binge-watch, compulsive, revelry, craving, impulsive, overconsumption
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