WALLOWING Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

wallowing

verb

present participle of wallow

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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as in shuffling

to roll around in an ungainly manner We saw a herd of cattle wallowing in the marsh.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of wallowing In any case, somehow Collier and one or two others who caught up with him tied the bear to a tree, leaving the animal entangled in the rope and wallowing in exhaustion in the shallow water. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Instead of wallowing over these changes, the revered restauranteur is adapting and embracing them. — Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 Yelena’s and Bob’s character arcs offer an interesting reflection of Marvel’s own inner turmoil, caught between wallowing in its past and embracing an uncertain but exciting new future. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 The once-proud franchise of Don Shula, the Perfect Season and Dan Marino has spent this century wallowing in mediocrity since last winning a playoff game in the 2000 season, the longest drought in the league. — Greg Cote july 27, Miami Herald, 27 July 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wallowing

Verb

Right in the middle of cheering, reveling masses was MARTA — a connective system of veins that efficiently moved the happy throngs.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Mary Murphy, a young reporter from Queens, had been at Shea that night, reveling with her sisters in the upper loge section along the first-base line.

— Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of reveling

Verb

The space suddenly swells with agents, assistants, clients and others shuffling through for lunch.

— Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Not much else changed in Class 5A, besides Azle and Arlington Seguin shuffling down two spots with Week 2 losses.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of shuffling

Verb

Corduroy pillows in Petal Plum—a floral print lifted from the floor of the brand’s New York flagship store—doubled as soft seating, perfect for basking in the sun.

— Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 18 Sep. 2026
The Cavaliers were off in Week 1, still basking in one of the most impressive opening performances of the season.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of basking

Verb

The play becomes an intellectual exercise — often a technically compelling one, and one that thankfully observes the comedy of Chekhov’s struggling souls as much as their tragedy.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
But Trumpism is also what Gramsci called a morbid symptom of the interregnum, an expression of a country riven by political polarization and by economic inequity, and struggling to come to terms with the waning of its singular status.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026