Meanings
wallow1
present singular third person wallows · participle present wallowing · participle past wallowed · past wallowed · alternative pronunciation spelling waller
- intransitiveTo roll oneself about in something dirty, for example in mud.
Pigs wallow in the mud.
3 more examples
O be thou my Charon, / And giue me ſwift tranſportance to theſe fieldes, / VVhere I may wallow in the lilly beds, / Propoſ'd for the deſeruer.
c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]Make ye him drunken: for hee magnified himselfe against the Lord: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shalbe in derision.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 48:26When Manſoul trampled upon things Divine, / And wallowed in filth as doth a ſwine:
1682, John Bunyan, “To the Reader”, in The Holy War, Made by Shaddai upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of the World. […], London: […] Dorman Newman […]; and Benjamin Alsop […], →OCLCSynonyms: welter
- intransitiveTo move lazily or heavily in any medium.
“A Hot Steam’s somebody who can’t get to heaven, just wallows around on lonesome roads an‘ if you walk through him, when you die you’ll be one too, an’ you’ll go around at night suckin‘ people’s breath-”
1960 July 11, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC2 more examples
The fire was thrown to a great height; the fountains and jets all wallowed together; new ones appeared, and danced joyously round the margin, then converging towards the centre they merged into one glowing mass, which upheaved itself pyramidally and disappeared with a vast plunge.
1875, Isabella L. Bird, The Hawaiian ArchipelagoAmongst the cruisers, it's not such good news. New Orleans is sunk; Wichita is wallowing and desperately in need of assistance, which two destroyers are providing; meanwhile, Biloxi and Vincennes are both in the process of going down and being abandoned, whilst Miami is right on the knife-edge of being recoverable, with three destroyers clustering around offering pumping and additional damage-control crews to try and keep the light cruiser afloat.
2021 May 5, Drachinifel, 43:29 from the start, in Battle of Samar - What if TF34 was there?, archived from the original on 19 Aug 2022 - figurativelyintransitiveTo immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically.
She wallowed in her misery.
5 more examples
If there be any lazy Fellow, any that cannot away with Work, any that would wallow in Pleaſures, he is haſty to be prieſted. And, when he is made one, and hath gotten a Benefice, he conſorts with his Neighbour Prieſts, who are altogether given to Pleaſures; and then both he, and they, live, not like Chriſtians, but like Epicures; drinking, eating, feaſting, and revelling, till the Cow come Home, as the saying is; [...]
1610, Alexander Cooke, “Pope Joane”, in William Oldys, editor, The Harleian Miscellany: […], volume IV, London: T[homas] Osborne, […], published 1745, →OCLC, page 125With the help of a sleepy waiter, Little Billee got the bacchanalian into his room and lit his candle for him, and, disengaging himself from his maudlin embraces, left him to wallow in solitude.
1894, George du Maurier, “Part Third”, in Trilby: A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 165Regret is an appalling waste of energy, and no one who intends to be a writer can afford to indulge in it. You can't get it into shape; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in.
1918 February (date written), Katherine Mansfield [pseudonym; Kathleen Mansfield Murry], “Je ne parle pas français”, in Bliss and Other Stories, London: Constable & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, page 78There the North British, having apparently decided that we had sufficiently wallowed in luxury, turned us out and loaded us into ancient four-wheelers, which were then attached to the rear of the night express (8.15 from Kings Cross).
1957 July 28, M. D. Greville, “A Diamond Jubilee of Railway Memories”, in Railway Magazine, page 459With Smithers out of the picture I was free to wallow in my own crapulence.
1995, The Simpsons Season 7 Episode 1, Who Shot Mr. Burns?, written by Bill Oakley and Josh WeinsteinSynonyms: grovel, bask, delight, indulge, luxuriate, revel, rollick
- intransitiveTo live or exist in filth or in a sickening manner.
God sees a man wallowing in his native impurity.
1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London1 more example
The floors are at times inches deep with dirt and scraps of clothing. The whole place wallows with putrefaction. In some of the rooms it would seem that there had not been a breath of fresh air for five years.
1895, The Review of Reviews, volume 11, page 215
plural wallows · alternative pronunciation spelling waller
- intransitiveAn instance of wallowing.
- intransitiveA pool of water or mud in which animals wallow, or the depression left by them in the ground.
Soon, the incessant wind would dry the stenchy wallow to corduroyed cement.
2003, Suzann Ledbetter, A Lady Never Trifles with Thieves1 more example
However, we have no time to linger, and picking our way among the countless buffalo wallows which indent the level surface of the summit, the wagon, […]
1901, George Bird Grinnell, Theodore Roosevelt, editors, American Big-Game Hunting - intransitiveA kind of rolling walk.
wallow2
present singular third person wallows · participle present wallowing · participle past wallowed · past wallowed · alternative pronunciation spelling waller
wallow3
comparative more wallow · superlative most wallow · alternative pronunciation spelling waller
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo roll oneself about in something dirty, for example in mud.
verbTo immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
wallow · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*welH-“to turn, wind, roll”
- Proto-Indo-European*welw-
- Proto-Germanic*walwijaną“to roll”
- Proto-West Germanic*walwōn
- Old Englishwealwian“to roll”
- Middle Englishwalowen
- Englishwallow
From Middle English walowen, walewen, walwen, welwen, from Old English wealwian (“to roll”), from Proto-West Germanic *walwōn, variant of *walwijan, from Proto-Germanic *walwijaną (“to roll”), from Proto-Indo-European *welw-, from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Cognate with Latin volvō (“roll, tumble”, verb).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →wallow · verb
- Old Englishwealwian“to fade, wither”
- Middle Englishwalwen
- Englishwallow
From Middle English walwen, from Old English wealwian (“to fade, wither”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps an alteration of Old English fealwian (“to grow pale, turn yellow, ripen, wither”). Alternatively, perhaps related to Middle English welken (“to fade, droop, wither”), modern English welk.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →wallow · adjective
- Proto-Germanic*walgaz
- Proto-West Germanic*walg
- Old Englishwealg
- Middle Englishwalwe
- Englishwallow
From Middle English walwe, walh, from Old English wealg, from Proto-West Germanic *walg, from Proto-Germanic *walgaz. Cognate with Dutch walg (“disgust”), dialectal Norwegian valg (“tasteless”). Doublet of waugh.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek κυλίνδομαι
- κυλίνδομαι (kulíndomai)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Arabic تَمَرَّغَ
- تَمَرَّغَ (tamarraḡa)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Bulgarian въргалям се, въргалям се
- въргалям се (vărgaljam se)to roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- въргалям се (vărgaljam se)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- валям се (valjam se)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- въргаляне (vărgaljane)an instance of wallowing
Catalan rebolcar-se, enfangar-se
- rebolcar-seto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- enfangar-seto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- rebolcar-seto live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
- enfangar-seto live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
Czech válet se, rochnit se
- válet seto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- rochnit seto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- bahnit seto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- libovat sito immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- utápět seto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- válení sean instance of wallowing
- rochnění sean instance of wallowing
Dutch wentelen, woelen
- wentelento roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- woelento roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- woelento immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
Finnish rypeä, kieriskellä
- rypeäto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- kieriskelläto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- rypeäto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- rypeäto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- rypeäto live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
- kuihtuato wither; to fade
- rapakkoa pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
- lätäkköa pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
French se vautrer, se complaire
- se vautrerto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- se complaireto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- se vautrerto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
German sich wälzen, sich suhlen
- sich wälzento roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- sich suhlento roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- sich suhlento immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- Suhlea pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
- Bada pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
Greek κυλιέμαι
- κυλιέμαι (kyliémai)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Hungarian dagonyázik, fetreng
- dagonyázikto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- fetrengto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- hemperegto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- henteregto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- fetrengto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- hánykolódikto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- gázolto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- elmerülto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- belemerülto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- merülto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- átadja magátto live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
- élvezetét lelito live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
- dagonyázásan instance of wallowing
- dagonyaa pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
Irish bí ag únfairt
- bí ag únfairtto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Italian sguazzare, guazzare
- sguazzareto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- guazzareto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- rotolarsito roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- adagiarsito immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- crogiolarsito immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
Japanese 溺れる
- 溺れる (oboreru)to immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
Latin voluto
- volutoto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Lithuanian voliótis
- voliótisto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
Māori tītakataka, okeoke
- tītakatakato roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- okeoketo roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Persian مراغه کردن, مراغیدن
- مراغه کردن (marâġe kardan)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- مراغیدن (marâġidan)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Polish tarzać się, babranina
- tarzać sięto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- babraninaan instance of wallowing
Portuguese chafurdar
- chafurdarto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
Russian валя́ться, валя́ться
- валя́ться (valjátʹsja)to roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- валя́ться (valjátʹsja)to roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- купа́ться (kupátʹsja)to immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- погря́знуть (pogrjáznutʹ)to live in filth or gross vice; to disport oneself in a beastly and unworthy manner
- вя́нуть (vjánutʹ)to wither; to fade
- увяда́ть (uvjadátʹ)to wither; to fade
- лу́жа (lúža)a pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
Spanish revolcarse, dejarse abrumar
- revolcarseto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- dejarse abrumarto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
Swedish vältra sig, göl
- vältra sigto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- göla pool of water or mud in which animals wallow
Turkish debelenmek, ağnamak
- debelenmekto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- ağnamakto roll; especially, to roll in anything defiling or unclean, as a hog might do to dust its body to relieve the distress of insect biting or cool its body with mud
- debelenmekto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- ağnamakto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- anamakto roll oneself about, as in mire; to tumble and roll about; to move lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in the mire
- debelenmekto immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically
- debelenmean instance of wallowing
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with wallow
All rhymes →Cite this entry
wallow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wallow
“wallow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wallow. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “wallow,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/wallow.
Source: wallow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.