Correct spelling, explanation: both bingeing and binging are considered acceptable forms, but their usage may vary depending on the context and the style guide being followed. In American English, binging is the more common form and is typically preferred. For example, She’s binging on her favorite TV show. In British English, bingeing is more commonly used. For example, He’s bingeing on junk food. Ultimately, both forms refer to the act of indulging in an activity excessively and are widely understood.
Definition of binging:
1. verb (present participle), indulge in an activity, especially eating, drinking, or taking drugs, to excess
After a long and tiring week, Sarah spent the entire weekend binging her favorite TV series, not leaving the couch until she finished all the episodes.
During the holidays, many people tend to indulge in delicious treats, binging on cookies, candies, and other festive goodies.
2. noun (gerund), an unrestrained and often excessive indulgence
Jack realized that his constant binging on junk food was taking a toll on his health and decided to adopt a healthier diet.
The doctor warned the patient about the dangers of binging on alcohol and advised seeking help for alcohol dependency.
Collocations with binging:
Some most commonly used collocations include:
1. Binging on/over: to consume a large quantity of something excessively, often relating to food or entertainment.
She couldn’t resist binging on chocolates during the holidays.
2. Binging behavior: refers to patterns of excessive consumption, usually in the context of food, alcohol, or other substances.
Her binging behavior was a result of stress and emotional turmoil.
3. Binging and purging: this collocation is associated with the eating disorder bulimia nervosa, where individuals engage in episodes of excessive eating followed by purging through methods like vomiting or using laxatives.
She struggled with a serious eating disorder, engaging in cycles of binging and purging.
4. Binging culture: describes a societal trend of indulging in excessive behaviors, such as binge-watching TV shows or constantly consuming social media content.
The rise of streaming services has contributed to the binging culture of consuming entire TV series in one go.
Correct spelling, explanation: both binging and bingeing are acceptable, according to dictionaries. It may seem surprising because many present participle forms in English are created by dropping the silent -e at the end of a verb and only then adding the -ing suffix. However, around 1980, retaining the -e became distinctly more popular than dropping it. You can correctly choose bingeing or binging, but the first one is primarily used in Great Britain and the other in America.
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