emotional eating

[ ih-moh-shuh-nl ee-ting ]

/ ɪˈmoʊ ʃə nl ˈi tɪŋ /

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noun

eating, often excessively, as a response to stress, boredom, unhappiness, or other emotional condition, rather than as a response to physical hunger: Prolonged loneliness can lead to a number of unhealthy habits, including emotional eating.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of emotional eating

First recorded in 1975–80

Words nearby emotional eating

emoticon, emotion, emotional, emotional correctness, emotional deprivation, emotional eating, emotional incontinence, emotional intelligence, emotionalism, emotionalist, emotionality

How to use emotional eating in a sentence

To stop emotional eating, do a gut-check before you reach for a snack.
As stay-at-home restrictions rise, here are ways to cope|Washington Post Staff, Elizabeth Chang, Mari-Jane Williams, Becky Krystal, Kendra Nichols, Caitlin Moore, Stephanie Merry, Missy Rosenberg, Katherine Lee|December 2, 2020|Washington Post
In her new series of work, Price explores emotional eating using herself as her subject.
An Artist Explores the Complicated Relationship Between Women and Food|Erin Cunningham|May 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST