wallow in

wallow in — phrasal verb

  • wallow inbase form
  • wallows in3rd person singular
  • wallowing in-ing form
  • wallowed inpast simple

1. to spend time fully enjoying a pleasant feeling, activity, or situation, often i

1.phrasal verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to spend time fully enjoying a pleasant feeling, activity, or situation, often in a self-indulgent way

Example

After the exam results came out, the team wallowed in praise for the rest of the day.

wallowed in praise

The resort invites guests to wallow in warm pools and quiet mountain views.

wallow in warm pools and quiet views

Common collocations
  • wallow in praise
  • wallow in luxury
  • wallow in attention
  • wallow in every detail
  • wallow in pleasure
Synonyms
  • indulge in

    close in meaning; often suggests allowing yourself a pleasure

  • revel in

    strongly positive or excited, and less often negative

  • luxuriate in

    used especially for comfort, warmth, or rich pleasure

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

wallow in + pleasure/luxury/praise

wallow in + noun

wallow in + -ing form

Usage Note

This sense often suggests indulgence rather than simple enjoyment. It can sound disapproving when someone seems to enjoy praise, luxury, attention, or dramatic detail too much.

Common Mistakes

Use 'wallow in' before the thing being enjoyed: 'wallow in praise', not 'wallow praise'.

For neutral enjoyment, 'enjoy' or 'take pleasure in' may sound less critical than 'wallow in'.

2. to keep focusing on sadness, self-pity, guilt, or another bad feeling instead of

2.phrasal verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to keep focusing on sadness, self-pity, guilt, or another bad feeling instead of trying to feel better or solve the problem

Example

After losing the contract, the manager refused to wallow in disappointment and called a new client.

wallow in disappointment

The counselor told him not to wallow in guilt after one honest mistake.

wallow in guilt

Common collocations
  • wallow in self-pity
  • wallow in misery
  • wallow in guilt
  • wallow in disappointment
  • wallow in grievance
Synonyms
  • brood over

    to think unhappily about something for a long time

  • dwell on

    to keep thinking or talking about something, often too much

  • indulge in self-pity

    close in meaning when the bad feeling is self-pity

Antonyms
  • move on

    to stop focusing on a bad experience and continue with life

  • snap out of it

    informal; to stop being trapped in a bad mood

Grammar Patterns

wallow in self-pity

wallow in misery

wallow in guilt

wallow in sadness

Usage Note

This sense is usually critical. It implies that the person is staying inside a negative emotion longer than is useful, and may even seem to be feeding that feeling.

Common Mistakes

Do not use this sense for a brief normal emotion. 'She felt sad for a while' is more neutral than 'She wallowed in sadness.'

Use a noun after 'in': 'wallow in self-pity', not 'wallow in self-pitying' unless the -ing form is acting as a noun phrase.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/2

'Wallow in' is more critical than 'dwell on' or 'brood over' because it suggests someone is almost feeding the feeling. 'Dwell on' can be neutral or mildly negative, while 'brood over' focuses on silent unhappy thinking. 'Move on' is the opposite: it means leaving the bad feeling or event behind.

wallow in ↗dwell on ↗brood overmove on ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Verbs

Phrases

  • wallow in praise
  • wallow in luxury
  • wallow in self-pity
  • wallow in misery
  • wallow in guilt
  • refuse to wallow in