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
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
Instead of wallowing in frustration, Burks took things into his own hands, tying a career-high with 23 points in helping the Knights to an 82-71 win over visiting TCU on Tuesday night.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Instead of wallowing in frustration, Burks took things into his own hands, tying a career-high with 23 points in helping the Knights to an 82-71 win over visiting TCU on Tuesday night.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 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
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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
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Having gone into hiding, Walt ultimately manages to make some things right before shuffling off the mortal coil.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
-
The move comes one year after the team promoted Saleh to general manager after another round of shuffling in its front office.—
Lauren Williams,
AJC.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Thank you for indulging me on that.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
26 May 2026
-
The decor offers a colorful contrast to the austere exterior, allowing the house to honor the neighborhood while indulging the whims of its occupants.—
Fred Albert,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Verb
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In general, bears show agitation by swaying their heads, huffing, and clacking their teeth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
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Footage of giant yellow black-eyed Susan flowers beams onto the wall from one projector, intersecting with video of swaying plants from another.—
Solvej Schou,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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For now, Harris is mostly basking in the warm glow of supporters at events and fielding petitions from candidates seeking her support and circling up with the small team of advisers she’s kept with her as a civilian.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
21 May 2026
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Days are spent basking on the hotel's private plage, going for a swim when the mood suits.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
After more than five innings of the Bulldogs trailing Liberty by one, struggling to get anything going, the Georgia third baseman crushed a two-run home run to left field.—
Sarah Spencer,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
-
Hezbollah's use of hard-to-detect fiber optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wallowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wallowing. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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