# pork up

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pork-up
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to gain weight or get fat, usually by eating too much. You use this when talking about yourself in a casual way—maybe after eating too much pizza.

For teachers: to increase in body weight, typically through overeating. This phrasal verb is intransitive and carries an informal, sometimes pejorative register.

## Examples

- I always pork up a bit during the winter holidays.
- After he stopped going to the gym and started eating takeout every night, he began to pork up quite quickly.
- The sedentary nature of the new desk job caused him to pork up, a physical transformation that necessitated an entirely new wardrobe within six months.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He porked up his body." but "He porked up." — The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

## Usage notes

- This is an informal expression and can be rude if you use it to describe someone else.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'put on weight' (neutral) or 'gain weight' (formal); highlight that 'pork up' is often used self-deprecatingly to avoid offending others.

---

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.