wallow

verb

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wal·low | \ ˈwä-(ˌ)lō

wallowed; wallowing; wallows

Definition of wallow

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to roll oneself about in a lazy, relaxed, or ungainly manner hogs wallowing in the mud

2 : to billow forth : surge

3 : to devote oneself entirely especially : to take unrestrained pleasure : delight

4a : to become abundantly supplied : luxuriate a family that wallows in money

b : to indulge oneself immoderately wallowing in self-pity

5 : to become or remain helpless allowed them to wallow in their ignorance

wallow

noun

Definition of wallow (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act or instance of wallowing

2a : a muddy area or one filled with dust used by animals for wallowing

b : a depression formed by or as if by the wallowing of animals

3 : a state of degradation or degeneracy

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Examples of wallow in a Sentence

Verb elephants wallowing in the river Buffalo wallow in mud to keep away flies.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb This faction believes Amazon customers should wallow in their guilt and mend their purchasing ways, not aim for a lazy win-win. — Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, "Column: A bold idea for alleviating Amazon guilt from the comfort of your couch," 30 Apr. 2021 The script lays bare every issue, leaving no feeling or thought or past transgression unspoken, as Molly and Deb play the blame game and wallow in their own shame, unwilling to trust each other or themselves. — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, "Review: Addiction drama ‘Four Good Days’ turns away from the ugliness at a crucial moment," 30 Apr. 2021 Gothic retelling of the classic fairy tale that is heavy on bizarre, unsettling imagery and happy to wallow in the darkness in this tale of a wooden child who longs to become a real boy. — Joe Reid, Vulture, "Every 2021 Oscar-Nominated Movie, Ranked," 21 Apr. 2021 But this time, the sight of stars in their finery in social isolation seemed less a mercenary marketing play (though there’s obviously still some of that) than a refusal to wallow and an understanding of the value of vicarious escapism. — New York Times, "The Best and Worst of the Golden Globes," 1 Mar. 2021 Just don’t expect Biden to wallow in those hard truths. — Philip Elliott, Time, "Biden’s First Primetime Speech Shows the Limits of Optimism," 12 Mar. 2021 Those with college ambitions either could mope and wallow in sorrow or figure out ways to move forward on their own. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, "Lost Year: How high school athletes coped during COVID-19 pandemic," 11 Mar. 2021 Because the songs are so familiar to much of the audience, the hosts can wallow in technical lingo without fear of losing people. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "The Musicological Zest of “Switched On Pop”," 1 Mar. 2021 Despite his initial desire to be left alone to wallow in despair, Alistair is surrounded by colorful characters who slowly raise his spirits. — Joshua Axelrod • Pittsburgh Post-gazette, Star Tribune, "Review: 'Love in the Late Edition,' by Reg Henry," 11 Jan. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The area is very secluded and bulls like to go to the meadow for a big drink and a refreshing splash in the wallow during midday, while their harem is sleeping off a night of debauchery. — Outdoor Life, "7 Rules You Must Follow to Punch Your Big-Game Tag on Public Land," 10 Dec. 2020 The Ghost's pillowy initial response to a bump feels as if it will be followed by the wallow of a '60s land yacht, but the air springs and adaptive dampers arrest the seemingly inevitable counter heave. — Mike Duff, Car and Driver, "2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Marks an Opulent Evolution," 23 Sep. 2020 Sometimes, when all lighter diversions have failed, what a person who’s been in confinement needs is a wallow in the pitch-black mud. — Ben Brantley, New York Times, "Finding the Sweet, Stinging Salt in Plays of Confinement," 31 May 2020 In Seoul, a shuttered restaurant wallows in an ordinarily bustling market. — Washington Post, "Abandoned streets," 24 Mar. 2020 The hogs cause erosion and create wallows that collect water and serve as breeding areas for mosquitoes, Aplaca said. — John Delapp, Houston Chronicle, "Pasadena on mission to remove feral hogs," 5 Feb. 2020 These depressions can provide a habitat for ground-nesting birds and insects, and spring rains can fill the wallows with water, creating temporary ponds that are home to frogs and other amphibians. — Mark Tutton, CNN, "Why bringing back bison could help restore America's lost prairie," 25 Nov. 2019 One wakes up in the morning, wallows in grievance, and proceeds to spend the day railing against the evils of privilege. — Sahil Handa, National Review, "What Conservatives Get Wrong about the Campus Wars," 4 July 2019 The updated exhibit will feature mud wallows, grasses, pools, streams and naturalistic trees. — Carol Motsinger, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Zoo just got a $50 million gift. But it's just the beginning of a big plan," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wallow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.