gallop
Americanverb (used without object)
-
gallops,
present (3rd person singular)
-
galloped,
past participle, past
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galloping
present participle
verb (used with object)
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gallops,
present (3rd person singular)
-
galloped,
past participle, past
-
galloping
present participle
noun
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gallops
plural
-
a fast gait of the horse or other quadruped in which, in the course of each stride, all four feet are off the ground at once.
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a run or ride at this gait.
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a rapid rate of going.
-
a period of going rapidly.
verb
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(intr) (of a horse or other quadruped) to run fast with a two-beat stride in which all four legs are off the ground at once
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to ride (a horse, etc) at a gallop
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(intr) to move, read, talk, etc, rapidly; hurry
noun
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the fast two-beat gait of horses and other quadrupeds
-
an instance of galloping
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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gallopsimple
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gallopssimple
-
have gallopedperfect
-
has gallopedperfect
-
am gallopingprogressive
-
are gallopingprogressive
-
is gallopingprogressive
-
have been gallopingperfect progressive
-
has been gallopingperfect progressive
Past
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gallopedsimple
-
had gallopedperfect
-
was gallopingprogressive
-
were gallopingprogressive
-
had been gallopingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of gallop
1375–1425; late Middle English galopen (v.) < Old French galoper < Frankish *wala hlaupan to run well ( see well 1, leap) or, alternatively, verbal derivative of *walhlaup, equivalent to *wal battlefield (cognate with Old High German wal; see Valkyrie) + *hlaup run, course (derivative of the v.)
Explanation
A gallop is a horse's fastest gait, a full-on run. A loud noise might cause a trotting horse to panic and break into a gallop. Any four-legged animal can run at a gallop, although the word most often describes horses and ponies. To run this way is also to gallop: "I watched the horses gallop around the track." You can even use the word to emphasize a person's fast and heavy gait: "My little brother has to gallop around the house a few times before he'll go to bed."
Vocabulary lists containing gallop
Horsin' Around
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Hot to Trot: Animal Ambulation
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"Dragon, Dragon"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This approach leaves the adventure with room to gallop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Slot stood watching in disbelief in stoppage time when Sergino Dest was allowed to gallop clear and cross to Driouech for a clinical finish.
From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025
So dangerous was Hemp for City that Riviere was barely allowed to gallop forward as she often does, minimising her threat at the other end.
From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2025
The day took a tragic turn in the $5 million Turf when Jayarebe collapsed in the gallop out after the race.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2024
They run at a gallop, thrusting their thin legs ahead of their bodies, two powerful legs at a time.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
The author gallops through vital moments in world history across the centuries but dallies over what seem like niche aspects of medieval French history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
The court previously heard Williams passed two police officers as he drove to the paddock, telling them: "There's lampers on my gallops, they are there now."
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
Drawing from the canon of vintage rap, “Tranky Funky” gallops forward to the sound of congas, chunky piano chords, wah-wah guitars and a nod to Mobb Deep.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2024
“If she gallops as fast as she looks, it’s going to be a good year,” said Brad Keselowski, driver and co-owner of RFK Racing.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
Smith began inching him back into work, giving him easy gallops.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Pink poodles with long black eyelashes danced in a can-can line, a quartet of googly-eyed cacti bobbed along to the music and a trio of small white dogs galloped on the stage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
Ondas stock rose as high as $11.37 early Tuesday before falling 2% to $10.68, failing to build on its momentum from Monday when it galloped 8.4% higher.
From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026
The 23-year-old carved past a startled Heyes on the fringe of a breakdown and galloped over to put Italy 10-5 in front.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
With advancing technology, screening for fetal abnormalities has galloped ahead, and the test behind the new study become widespread about 10 years ago.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 4, 2024
The ram galloped away from the sky, startled by human sound.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
First came the whippet who lives down the hall, galloping outside my apartment and then, as he often does, failing to account for the slickness of the linoleum.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
Strong winds fanned the flames, causing them to spread "faster than a galloping horse", according to regional prefect Simon Babre.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
In one from 1878 he captures the strides of a galloping horse; in another, a dog running.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
To be sure, it is possible that earnings could continue galloping higher for the next few years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
“Tut,” said Dallben, “there are worse things. Do you set yourself to be a glorious hero? Do you believe it is all flashing swords and galloping about on horses? As for being glorious...”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
