# wallow

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈwɒ.ləʊ/ · frequency rank #37,280

## Definitions
1. To roll oneself about in something dirty, for example in mud.
2. To move lazily or heavily in any medium.
3. To immerse oneself in, to occupy oneself with, metaphorically.
4. To live or exist in filth or in a sickening manner.

## Etymology
From Middle English walowen, walewen, walwen, welwen, from Old English wealwian (“to roll”), from Proto-West Germanic *walwōn, variant of *walwijan, from Proto-Germanic *walwijaną (“to roll”), from Proto-Indo-European *welw-, from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn, wind, roll”). Cognate with Latin volvō (“roll, tumble”, verb).

## Easily confused with
- **walls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallow-vs-walls)
- **Wally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallow-vs-wally)
- **willow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallow-vs-willow)
- **Walton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallow-vs-walton)
- **wall** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wall-vs-wallow)
- **waldo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waldo-vs-wallow)
- **wallet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallet-vs-wallow)
- **walled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/walled-vs-wallow)
- **waller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/waller-vs-wallow)
- **Wallis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallis-vs-wallow)
- **wallop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wallop-vs-wallow)

## Common misspellings (7)
`awllow`, `walloww`, `wallwo`, `walolw`, `walow`, `wlalow`, `wwallow`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wallow