: committed without reservation : thoroughgoing
a whole-hog patriot
: the whole way or farthest limit
—usually used adverbially in the phrase go the whole hog
: to the fullest extent : without reservation : completely
accepting whole hog the standards … of the majority—
R. B. Kaplan
R. B. KaplanExamples of whole-hog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
The latest advances in generative AI have gone whole-hog into the use of a chain-of-thought (CoT) as a key component inside the AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Or, take the model of something like Jelly’s Last Jam and go whole-hog with a concept like putting your lead on trial in the afterlife — that recent Encores! production does, unfortunately for A Wonderful World, hang in comparison to this jazz-icon musical.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
Pat Martin knows a thing or two about barbecue—specifically, West Tennessee-style whole hog barbecue.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
And certainly not North Carolina, which is perhaps better known for its whole hog barbecue than its vino.
—Claire Volkman, Travel + Leisure, 25 July 2025
From southern classics to pit-smoking whole hog barbecue, Mike learned the value of tradition and togetherness through food.
—Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Go whole hog on whole grains Hearty and versatile, whole grains — such as barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye and whole wheat — contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ and endosperm.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
The latter event is a send-up of Bill Buford’s 2006 New Yorker article about butchering a whole hog in his Manhattan apartment.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2025
Lifestyle How to create a DIY water feature for a habitat garden without breaking the bank
July 25, 2024
One of the first was going whole hog into native plants without understanding anything about them.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024
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Adjective
People travel from all over to taste Skylight’s famous whole-hog barbecue and its famously simple cornbread.
—Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
The latest advances in generative AI have gone whole-hog into the use of a chain-of-thought (CoT) as a key component inside the AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Or, take the model of something like Jelly’s Last Jam and go whole-hog with a concept like putting your lead on trial in the afterlife — that recent Encores! production does, unfortunately for A Wonderful World, hang in comparison to this jazz-icon musical.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
Noun
It was recently recognized as one of the South's top 50 barbecue spots for its whole hog 'cue.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
Pat Martin knows a thing or two about barbecue—specifically, West Tennessee-style whole hog barbecue.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
And certainly not North Carolina, which is perhaps better known for its whole hog barbecue than its vino.
—Claire Volkman, Travel + Leisure, 25 July 2025
From southern classics to pit-smoking whole hog barbecue, Mike learned the value of tradition and togetherness through food.
—Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Go whole hog on whole grains Hearty and versatile, whole grains — such as barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye and whole wheat — contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ and endosperm.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
The latter event is a send-up of Bill Buford’s 2006 New Yorker article about butchering a whole hog in his Manhattan apartment.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2025
Lifestyle How to create a DIY water feature for a habitat garden without breaking the bank
July 25, 2024
One of the first was going whole hog into native plants without understanding anything about them.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Whole-hog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whole-hog. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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