1
as in reveling
to completely give (oneself) over to something (such as an emotion)
After being laid off, he spent much of his time wallowing in self-pity. They wallowed in all the indulgences provided by the resort.
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2
as in shuffling
to roll around in an ungainly manner
We saw a herd of cattle wallowing in the marsh.
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Recent Examples of wallowing
The slough was wallowing with carp.
—
Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
She isn’t being morbid or wallowing in sadness; she’s inspired by a practice in Bhutan aimed at cultivating happiness and reducing anxiety about mortality — by thinking about death five times a day.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Most like to be clean, although wallowing in the mud does help keep them cool and protected from insects and the sun.
—Kansas City Star, 10 May 2026
The 40-foot-long internet phenomenon had been wallowing in shallow waters near Germany since March.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 2 May 2026
Recent polls show Villaraigosa, 73, wallowing at the bottom of the field, though none of the major Democratic candidates have an overwhelming edge.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Reveling or wallowing in either part of the game only slows the process.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
But no, Tommy will not be moved, wallowing in grief for his young daughter and tormented by the death of his brother Arthur, ostensibly a suicide.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
In a broader sense, your relationships can also keep you from wallowing in your struggles.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
She isn’t being morbid or wallowing in sadness; she’s inspired by a practice in Bhutan aimed at cultivating happiness and reducing anxiety about mortality — by thinking about death five times a day.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Most like to be clean, although wallowing in the mud does help keep them cool and protected from insects and the sun.
—Kansas City Star, 10 May 2026
The 40-foot-long internet phenomenon had been wallowing in shallow waters near Germany since March.
—Alana Wise, NPR, 2 May 2026
Recent polls show Villaraigosa, 73, wallowing at the bottom of the field, though none of the major Democratic candidates have an overwhelming edge.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Reveling or wallowing in either part of the game only slows the process.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
But no, Tommy will not be moved, wallowing in grief for his young daughter and tormented by the death of his brother Arthur, ostensibly a suicide.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
In a broader sense, your relationships can also keep you from wallowing in your struggles.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wallowing
Verb
-
Nebraska fans with seats around the tunnel spotted them, because thousands of Nebraska fans were still in their seats, reveling, the music still thumping in the arena, as if some kind of encore would be happening.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Our friends converted their 400-person reception hall wedding into a spirited dance party at their home, with small groups of well-wishers, each small enough to fit into their bomb shelter, taking turns reveling.—
Michael M. Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The model of shuffling that the new result depends on, like Bayer and Diaconis’ before it, still assumes that the cards riffle down one by one, rather than in clumps.—
John Pavlus,
Quanta Magazine,
17 June 2026
-
The Calgary Flames will play their final season at Scotiabank Saddledome before shuffling into Scotia Place in 2027.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
In addition to streamlining operations and closing underperforming restaurants, Adamolekun and Red Lobster are engaging with customers and indulging their nostalgia.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
Thank you for indulging me on that.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Lewis set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, swaying his feet side to side in a rocking motion that mimics surfing, while keeping his balance above China’s Diaoshuilou waterfall in 2011.—
Russ Bynum,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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Lewis set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, swaying his feet side to side in a rocking motion that mimics surfing, while keeping his balance above China's Diaoshuilou waterfall in 2011.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Pulse Picks The Knicks are still basking in their title, but oddsmakers aren’t so sure about their chances next year.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Instead, the vibe was one of just basking in the summer sun and the world’s game.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The officials described Pakistan’s monthslong effort leading the negotiations, struggling to keep both sides from walking out of the room and a total collapse of the negotiations on multiple occasions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
-
The third spot, initially expected to go to Martín Zubimendi, now looks more likely to be Fabián Ruiz for the Cape Verde opener, with De la Fuente pragmatic about rotating in the early group games and with Zubimendi struggling for form later on in the club season.—
Sam Leveridge,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wallowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wallowing. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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