comfort eating

American  

[kuhm-fert ee-ting] / ˈkʌm fərt ˌi tɪŋ /

noun

1. emotional eating, especially as a response to sad, depressing, or upsetting feelings or experiences.

   Cake and bread are my go-to for comfort eating when I am down.

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Etymology

Origin of comfort eating

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

We see a potent metaphor for the fourth sign of the zodiac in the Mono Silver Zeug cutlery set — a shiny smattering of tools for that sacred source of comfort: eating.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2024

The soundtrack indicates that this is not a case of stress or comfort eating, but an act of joy.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2023

She has ordered everything from takeaways for comfort eating, to furniture and flights she did not need or had any intention to use.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2023

They said this may help explain why comfort eating is common, and why stress in particular increases human desire to eat highly palatable high-sugar foods, even when not hungry.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 3, 2023

Downstairs, Diana and her witnesses were lolling about in comfort, eating and drinking the results of a MacDonald's run that Roz and Helen had made.

From Wild Justice by Sprague, Ruth M.