# chow down on

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chow-down-on
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to eat a lot of food quickly and with great enthusiasm.

For teachers: to consume food vigorously or in large quantities; carries a highly informal, colloquial register often used in social or casual settings.

## Examples

- The kids chow down on pizza after their soccer game.
- We found a great burger joint and spent the afternoon chowing down on fries and shakes.
- While the guests were chowing down on the buffet, the host took the opportunity to make a surprise announcement.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They chowed down the tacos." but "They chowed down on the tacos." — the preposition 'on' is required when you mention the specific food being eaten.

## Usage notes

- highly informal; usually followed by a specific type of food as the object.
- Teaching tip: this is a great example of 'vivid' phrasal verbs; contrast it with 'eat' (neutral) and 'devour' (more intense/literary) to show how register changes based on the setting.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.