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
Breakups can be agonizing, even immobilizing; sometimes, wallowing is the ideal way forward.
—
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, instead of wallowing in unrequited love, the story satirizes academia and the obsession of Western literature and philosophy with hell in a really fun way.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2025
But the 29-year-old Latvian also knows there’s no benefit to wallowing over it.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
But there’s no sense in wallowing in pro sports.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
This is not a wallowing cruiser that isolates the driver in a leather cocoon, floating along, not entirely sure where the front end is.
—Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Instead of wallowing in her misery, the movie accompanies her, like best friend Christina (Denise Gough), who checks in regularly with unconditional support.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
For the next few hours, Beau stayed in the hallway, wallowing in misery and looking outside the window, hoping to see his partner.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
Thankfully, instead of wallowing in unrequited love, the story satirizes academia and the obsession of Western literature and philosophy with hell in a really fun way.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 4 Dec. 2025
But the 29-year-old Latvian also knows there’s no benefit to wallowing over it.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
But there’s no sense in wallowing in pro sports.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
Reeves is a cranky, deadpanning Estragon, wallowing in frustration as his gangly limbs swing, unwillingly turning to his friend but also welcoming the help, the hugs.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
This is not a wallowing cruiser that isolates the driver in a leather cocoon, floating along, not entirely sure where the front end is.
—Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Instead of wallowing in her misery, the movie accompanies her, like best friend Christina (Denise Gough), who checks in regularly with unconditional support.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 Sep. 2025
For the next few hours, Beau stayed in the hallway, wallowing in misery and looking outside the window, hoping to see his partner.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wallowing
Verb
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Go on a street food tour Street food tours are great things to do in Sicily and a fabulous alternative to hours of shuffling through museums.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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It's designed to offer a satisfying and calming shuffling motion, guided by a strong magnet and a seamless sliding track on the inside.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The skaters, staff, volunteers and fans were generous in indulging me.—
Brian Munoz,
NPR,
11 Jan. 2026
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José Daniel Ferrer’s life exposes the costs of indulging revolutionary illusions.—
Michael Lucchese,
Washington Post,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mom pointed to a pepper tree swaying in the wind.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Long, swaying motion was widely reported, with additional aftershocks continuing through late morning.—
Anthony Trotter,
ABC News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hosts Forest, meanwhile, were still basking in the glow of winning the European Cup (today’s Champions League) in back-to-back seasons, via beating Malmo of Sweden in 1979 and Germany’s Hamburg a year later.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Solo time was also enjoyed by the Meaningful Beauty co-founder, who can be seen wearing nothing but a towel and basking in the sunshine in one of the images.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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However, the technology has been moving faster than state regulations can accommodate, and lawmakers have been struggling to walk the line between innovation and patient safety.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
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And, for many borrowers struggling with debt, exploring alternatives like debt settlement or consolidation may offer significant relief without the complications that bankruptcy rules can create.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wallowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wallowing. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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