What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
engorge
Example
After the Thanksgiving feast, I felt like I had engorged myself on turkey and stuffing. [engorged: past participle]
Example
The tick engorged itself on the dog's blood, causing it to swell up. [engorge: verb]
devour
Example
The kids devoured the pizza in minutes, leaving no slices behind. [devoured: past tense]
Example
I devoured the latest novel by my favorite author in just two days. [devoured: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Devour is more commonly used than engorge in everyday language. Devour is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while engorge is less common and more specific to the act of overeating.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between engorge and devour?
Both engorge and devour are informal words that are more likely to be used in casual conversation than in formal writing or speech.
