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
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
Now, Daphne is living with Petra’s ex Miles, both wallowing in their own breakup hell.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
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
Now, Daphne is living with Petra’s ex Miles, both wallowing in their own breakup hell.
—Literary Hub, 13 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
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Facebook groups and other online communities have sprung up around shuffling, allowing expats navigating all sorts of situations to compare notes and share strategies.—
Carole Rosenblat,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
But sometimes, simply shuffling the pieces can help, in our view.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
In contrast to the first side, side two is a series of four long, moody instrumental electronic pieces, primarily Bowie and Eno indulging their darkest urges.—
Liza Lentini,
SPIN,
15 May 2026
-
Serge, indulging his penchant for modern art, buys a large, expensive, completely white painting, with some slightly-less white lines.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The sensation of swaying high above the ground might be impossible to quell at the World Cup.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
-
The stream ended abruptly, but not before cameras captured Peters’ eyes seemingly rolling back in his head and his body swaying.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
Verb
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The video opens with Earle lounging by the beach, basking in the sun.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
-
The resort-style pool’s sun shelf provides the perfect perch for basking in the sun or for children to splash in the shallow water, while surrounding decks offer umbrellas and chaises.—
Pulte Homes,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
Many libraries’ orders went unfulfilled, and all but the largest ones were left struggling to get popular titles to their patrons.—
Adeel Hassan,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
Across Oahu’s North Shore, an area famed for its big-wave surfing, the small farms that help supply the island’s food are struggling after back-to-back storms in March brought the state’s worst flooding in two decades.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wallowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wallowing. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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