guzzle

American  

[guhz-uhl] / ˈgʌz əl /

verb (used with or without object)

guzzled, guzzling

1. to drink, or sometimes eat, greedily, frequently, or plentifully.

   They spent the whole night guzzling beer.

   Synonyms:

   chug-a-lug, tope, swig, imbibe, swill

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noun

1. South Midland and Southern U.S. gozzle.

guzzle British  

/ ˈɡʌzəl /

verb

1. to consume (food or drink) excessively or greedily

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Other Word Forms

• guzzler noun
• unguzzled adjective

Etymology

Origin of guzzle

First recorded in 1570–80; origin uncertain

Explanation

To guzzle is to gulp down a liquid very quickly. After running a marathon, you might be tempted to guzzle Gatorade, but it's important to sip slowly so you don't get sick. If your brother somehow manages to drink an entire gallon of milk in two days, he guzzles it. And, if your big old car needs to be refueled several times a week, you can say it guzzles gas. Experts guess that the root of guzzle is the Old French word gosillier, which means "to go down the gullet," but also "to vomit."

Example Sentences

Ratepayers’ utility bills have been on the rise as new artificial-intelligence data centers guzzle power and utility companies upgrade aging power grids.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

The rise of AI is powering a wave of extra demand for copper, with huge amounts of the conducting metal now finding its way into server farms that guzzle electricity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 10, 2025

But: With osteoporosis the clear nemesis in all of this, it’s time to guzzle milk and inhale other calcium-rich food to shore up my bones, right?

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2025

The players used a short break to towel off and guzzle water.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2024

I guzzle more, nearly draining the whole container in one continuous gulping swallow.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• carouse
• gobble
• imbibe
• knock back
• quaff
• slosh
• swig
• swill