# dig in

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dig-in
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

To start eating your food with energy. You use this to tell your friends or family they can start their meal.

For teachers: To begin eating a meal heartily; the verb is typically intransitive when used as an invitation. It can also signify the act of entrenching oneself or preparing for a sustained effort.

## Examples

- The pizza is on the table, so dig in!
- As soon as the host put the roast on the table, he told everyone to dig in while it was still hot.
- Despite the formal setting of the gala, the guests were so hungry that they began to dig in before the keynote speaker had even finished his opening remarks.

## Pitfalls

- Not "They digged in as soon as the food arrived." but "They dug in as soon as the food arrived." — The past tense of 'dig' is 'dug', not 'digged'.

## Usage notes

- This is an informal expression often used as a friendly command to start a meal.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'tuck in' (British) and note the irregular past tense 'dug' to prevent the common error 'digged'.

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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.