gallop
Americanverb (used without object)
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gallops,
present (3rd person singular)
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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
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galloping
present participle
noun
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gallops
plural
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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.
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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
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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
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have gallopedperfect
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has gallopedperfect
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am gallopingprogressive
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are gallopingprogressive
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is gallopingprogressive
-
have been gallopingperfect progressive
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has been gallopingperfect progressive
Past
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gallopedsimple
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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:
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
We’ve rounded up seven essential ways to witness the Black West in all its grit, glory and gallop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2025
While still very much an open world, with fields to gallop across and deep canyons and caves to plunge into, Shadow of the Erdtree bends toward the layer-cake-like level design of the original Dark Souls.
From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2024
He felt his heart gallop in his chest, like it was trying to escape from his body.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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
As they walked near the paddock and gallops of Evan Williams Racing, their lights "drew the attention of Mr Williams", Bebb said.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
James Serafino’s art crowds the first pages as Greenfield’s character gallops behind his anxious brain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 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
No, it is the Union Light Guard, otherwise known as the Seventh Independent Company of Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, that gallops to the rescue.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
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
Inflation galloped at rates up to 14%, and global gasoline shortages closed service stations and created high prices and long lines.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2024
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
But his polite regrets didn’t impose upon her, and when she galloped away with the Count, she saw Laurie sit down by her aunt with an actual expression of relief.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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
To be sure, it is possible that earnings could continue galloping higher for the next few years.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
But taming galloping inflation, reviving consumer demand and creating jobs will take time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Still, I wrote, “the prospect of galloping, 1970s-style inflation remains low.”
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
Like Dr. Westminster, Bertha ran on two legs, as opposed to galloping on four.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
